Shades of Green, Shades of Red
by AppleL0V3R
Summary: Collection. 15. Training - Diplomatic Behavior: Sakura simply was not made out for diplomatic behavior. She'd have to learn to control it if she wanted to continue to be his escort to these events.
1. Writer's Choice: Nameless

**Title:** Nameless

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** It was the first day of senior year, the year Sakura was just going to have fun with. What she didn't expect was the new kid being right next to her in all four classes.

**Theme:** #31 – Writer's Choice

**Word** **Count:** 2,500

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then obviously it's not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

One more year. That's all she has left: one year. Well…technically she still has college too, but as far as high school is concerned, she only has this year left. And to top it off, she has only four classes: Phys Ed (3rd), Biology (5th), Psychology (6th), and Math for Dummies (7th). Hopefully this was going to be a fun and easy year, what with already having decided what college she wants to go to.

She had had another sleepless night again, she was by nature an insomniac yet somehow it never affected her during the day. So she thought nothing of it as she hummed cheerfully to herself on her way into the school with a notebook and pencil in hand. She had yet to run into any of her friends though; they didn't start into 4th period, which of course was right after lunch. Lucky bastards. Whatever, she was fine with her schedule anyway. It took her no time at all to get to the gym and just plop down on one of the mats. A second later, the mat bounced slightly with weight of someone else sinking into said object.

Curious, the pink haired girl glanced over to see the person beside her. A guy with crimson red hair that was styled like Naruto's and he had sea foam green eyes that were surrounded with a thin layer of what looked like black eyeliner. Gothic or emo, that's just the aura he give off. But the oddest thing about him was that he had the kanji for love tattooed above his left eye. She didn't recognize him, so obviously he's a freshman or he's new, it's got to be the later because he doesn't look like a freshman nor does he seem the type to always look at least two years older than he actually is, in fact he looks like a senior.

It was a no brainer on if she should talk to him or not, "Hey, I'm Sakura, what's your name?"

He glanced at her out of the corner of dead seeming eyes that would have made anyone but her flinch, and then he looked away. Okay, different tactic is in order.

"You know, I'm the talking type who doesn't get intimidated easily."

This time he turned his head to her and quirked a nonexistent eyebrow, "So?"

"So I'm going to keep talking whether you pay attention to me or not and unless you plan to hold a knife next to my throat until I shut up, then I will just keep talking."

He turned away once more, "Then go talk to someone else." Like hell she would.

"No, you're intriguing. So you'll just have to deal, though it is a lot easier if you just respond." She paused and then a thought occurred to her "That or I guess you can build some kind of immunity to my voice." Sasuke had tried that and it had worked all up until the point where she just stopped talking around him all together, which drove him even more nuts. So nuts that he now talked to her on a daily basis.

This time around, he didn't make any move that he was listening or acknowledging her.

She still wasn't perturbed though, "So are you going to tell me your name or what?"

..:Xx0o0xX:..

"Forehead!" She heard someone exclaim and knew immediately who it was. Ino was the only one who could call her that and not get socked in the jaw for it.

"Ino-Pig!" She returned just as loudly just as said blonde slammed into her in hug causing her to lose her balance and stumble backward into someone. "I'm sorry." She threw over her shoulder, only gaining a grunt in response. Perhaps it was Love. Love was what Sakura had taken to calling the red haired, green eyed guy this morning that wouldn't tell her his name. So she'd nicknamed him hoping that would get him to tell her his name, apparently though, it wasn't working. She'd get it out of him one way or another though, that she was certain of.

Sasuke rolled his eyes from his position just behind Ino and next to Naruto along with a Starbucks in hand. "You two just saw each other yesterday."

"Yeah, so?" Ino asked as Sakura pulled away from her and slipped next to Sasuke's side to take his drink. Strawberry and cream frappichino, yummy.

"Give me back my drink." The raven haired teen deadpanned when the green eyed female didn't seem inclined to do so after three or so drinks. Aforementioned senior held the styrofoam cup away from him and out of his reach. "Sakura" he growled warningly, all she did though was stick her tongue out at him.

"Geez, you two act like your still dating" See for a time, they had dated and so this became the norm for them, they actually dated for all of freshman year but that was about it. So they still retained some of their habits that were just that to them.

"Whatever, Ino-pig." Sakura answered distractedly, still trying to keep the drink from Sasuke. Then being the klutz that she was, she leaned slightly too far back and ended up losing her balance and falling. As chain reaction Sasuke lost his balance too and landed on top of her. Needless to say the frappichino got all over the both of them. "Hot!"

Naruto and Ino of course started cracking up like it was the funniest thing in the world, and Sakura was sure that at the moment to them it was.

"F*** you." Sakura growled, trying and failing to make the stain seem like nothing on her light yellow shirt. Sasuke on the other hand was death glaring at the two while dusting off his shirt.

"Oh lighten up Sakura, it was funny" Naruto stated cheerfully through his mirth.

"Yeah, whatever." She grabbed Sasuke's hand and dragged him to her locker for a new shirt; he'd need one because he had class in a few minutes, while she on the other hand didn't. She'd learned from Ino early on to always keep a spare outfit in her locker just in case, and when the two had shared a locker she started keeping a spare guy shirt for Sasuke as well. Funny enough, was that she'd just put those in there before third period. Oh well.

"Thanks"

"No problem, later"

He nodded and then walked away. Sighing softly to herself, she took the shirt and headed for the bathroom through the emptying hallways. On her way, she heard the ding of the bell, but paid it no mind, it's not like it applied to her at the moment anyway.

With green eyes, she faintly noticed people pass her, every one of them acknowledging her in one way or another. Most though just stared at her shirt that showed the starkly obvious stain. Stupid balance. What was apparent to her though, was the one person who didn't acknowledge her whatsoever. Stain crises pushed to the back of her mind, she changed directions to be in-step with him. "Hey Love."

He glanced at her, "What happened to your shirt."

She shrugged, "Mishap. I'd taken Sasuke's frappichino from him and wouldn't give it back, so of course he tried to get it back. And me being as klutzy as I am, I lost my balance and fell, managing to take Sasuke with me. And so we both ended up on the floor with strawberry and cream flavored frappichino all over us. I was actually just on my way to change, but I figured I'd try to figure out your name first."

He snorted. "Idiot. Do you ever give up?"

"Hey! Don't be mean! And no for your information, I don't give up until I get what I want."

"I see absolutely no reason to be nice to you."

She scowled, "Meanie."

"Child."

"Love."

He was silent.

"Ha, I win! So what's your name?"

..:Xx0o0xX:..

And of course she'd spent the rest of her off period pestering him, simply because she could. Then finally five minutes before the period ended, she went and changed. Then she was off to find her class.

Biology. In all honesty, she loved dissecting and all because she wanted to be a doctor of sorts, so learning how the body works, human or animal, had always intrigued her. Especially when Ino and her had taken the class just the other year and Ino always freaked out, that always made it fun.

It took her little time to find it, she already knew the teacher and the fact that she hadn't changed rooms; she also knew that the teacher was one of those who made assigned seats right off the bat.

She was the second row from the front, on the far left, next to the window. She was on the left, her partner on the right. She smiled while taking her seat.

"Hello for the third time today, Love." She greeted her partner.

He seemed to groan inwardly, "How many classes are we going to have together?"

She shrugged, "I guess well just have to wait and see. Oh and by the way, if you don't correct me soon then I'm never going to stop calling you love."

"And I care because…?"

"With your look, one would think you should. You know, you could be picked on just for me calling you love all the time."

"Didn't I just ask why I should care?"

She shrugged, "Okay, just so long as we're clear on the matter." She paused, "Besides your name, what I can't figure out is what grade your in. I mean Phys Ed and Biology aren't strictly senior classes, so I can't figure it out. You look like a senior, but assuming would just make an ass out of you and me."

For the first time she thought she saw a glimmer of amusement in his ever dead, yet still very beautiful eyes. "I'm a junior."

She double blinked. "Seriously? Huh, see I never would have guessed that."

He nodded, "I…missed a year of school."

"That makes sense. Glad I asked though. Oh speaking of asking, what's your name?"

..:Xx0o0xX:..

"What's your next class?"

"Psychology."

"Seriously? Me too!" She cheered, because this meant that she could spend basically the whole day with him if she wanted to. Which she already found out in 3rd that she'd have no qualms about any such thing.

He sighed, "I'm stuck with you all day everyday. I knew someone up there hated me."

Sakura laughed, "You know, I think the same thing almost everyday."

He frowned, "Why?"

She looked at him "Okay so you have no problem having a conversation with me, but you won't tell me your name. How does that make any sense?"

He shrugged. "Are you going to answer my question?"

"Are you going to answer mine?"

"This is going nowhere."

She slipped her hand through her pink tresses, a far off expression on her face. "My mom died when I was eight. My dad works all the time and has been a drunk ever since."

He didn't know if he liked the fact that she had stated it so matter-of-factly "I see."

She shook her head and with it the negative aura that had slightly slipped into the cracks in her ever optimistic one. She was smiling once more, "Now that I've answered your question will you tell me what your name is?"

..:Xx0o0xX:..

"All day, everyday."

"Well hello to you too, Love."

"I'm going to go insane."

"Aren't you just a ray of sunshine? You're totally sabotaging my good mood by the way"

"I honestly couldn't care less"

"Not saying you should, I'm just informing you that's all."

She had chosen to sit next to him when she spotted the gothic looking junior in the back of the room in her 7th period class. Did he seriously not like her or what? Maybe it's just his nature, but he makes it really hard to want to get to know him. And he obviously didn't care either. It didn't mean she was going to give up though, she'd only known him for a few hours, getting deterred now would just be pathetic and insulting to her stubborn, perky attitude. Besides, she vowed she'd figure out his name. But what would she do when she finally did? Tch, by then, she'd be used to his attitude so it wouldn't matter anyway.

Suddenly there were arms around her shoulders, "Let go, Naruto"

"Aww, but I haven't seen you for like three periods!"

She snorted "Three…two…" and the arms were gone, but he did plop down in the seat beside her.

"So who's your new friend?"

She grinned, perfect now he'd _have_ to say his name, "Naruto this is…"

He quirked an eyebrow "It's fun not telling her my name."

Naruto blinked then laughed. "I like this guy already."

She pursed her lips. "Damn it, and here I was thinking I'd won too."

He shrugged, "Obviously you haven't."

She turned pleading eyes on him "Will you ever tell me your name?"

He paused as if seeming to weigh his options. "Get called Love all day everyday" He made a face at the prospect and she couldn't help but giggle.

"Hey you're the one with the tattoo."

He glared at her for a moment then shrugged ignoring the jab all the same. "If you haven't figured out yet then it's not my problem."

The pinkette pursed her glossed lips "…shut up and don't think I won't. And just for that even when I do figure out your name I'm still going to call you Love."

He sighed. "I repeat. Insane"

Again she laughed. "Don't worry Love. Hang out with me and my friends and you'll be too insane to care." Because they were and were damn proud of it.

The red-haired guy shook his head with a low groan letting said aforementioned body part slump into his hands.

Neither the Naruto nor Sakura could stop laughing.

* * *

Okay so I had orignially ended it here, then I got a review saying that it didn't feel complete. So I read it over and decided to add the little part below. Hope it feels more complete now.

* * *

"Gaara."

"What Love?" Sakura asked, her pink eyebrows drawn. They'd been sitting in silence for nearly half an hour now. So what did 'Gaara' have to do with anything?

"My name. It's Gaara." The redhead repeated slowly.

She blinked at him the smiled. "Yeah, right. Sure it is." He was probably just pulling her leg again.

Gaara shook his head, if she didn't want to believe him then that was her problem.


	2. Inner Demons: Not My Point

**Title:** Not My Point

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** "That's not my point." "Are you?" He prompted once more. She sighed, "Yes Gaara, and I always will be. But that's not my–" "Good."

**Theme:** #4 – Inner Demons

**Word Count:** 1,010

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** I don't have a set time point in the Naruto series for this and I'm sorry if you find Gaara OOC because personally, I kinda do.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Sakura stared.

Because honestly, that's all she could manage. Was that seriously what he thought? That it actually _mattered_?

"Gaara." She started trying real hard to keep a calm, level head about this. But she was failing, failing miserably and she knew it. "Would you repeat that please?" Because maybe, just maybe she'd heard wrong. In fact, maybe she needed to get her ears checked because honestly, _how_ could he even _think_ that?

He whipped around so fast she almost stumbled back a step as she found herself nailed under a hard, angry and unforgiving glare. "You heard me woman."

Now it was her turn to narrow her eyes. "Excuse me? I have name, you know."

He snorted, "And your point is…?"

"That you're being pigheaded and impossible!" There. She said it.

His jade eyes narrowed further. "Oh really? And _how_, may I ask, am I being 'pigheaded and impossible'?" It didn't take a fool to hear the warning to his tone, nor did it take a genius to hear the hint of biting steal. He was daring her to insult him again.

So, naturally, she did. "If you're stupid enough to believe that, then you're not only pigheaded and impossible, but delusional too."

"Is that so?" His deadly calm-as-you-please tone was slowly turning more and more into growls.

Still she ignored it and nodded her head. "Yes that is so." She was an idiot and she was going to get herself killed one day because of that big mouth of hers, she knew it too, but she didn't care. Was he really that blind? "I didn't know the opinions of some drunken idiot who doesn't even _know_ you would affect you so much. In fact, I thought it'd matter so little because you were _stronger_ than that. Guess I really was all wrong about you, _Kazekage-sama_." She sneered at the title, hoping it brought to life that fiery spirit of his because then he wouldn't be so damn emo-like. No offense and all, but really, over some group of drunks, the oh-so-powerful redhead had just slumped into himself, sulking like a child. She thought he was better than that.

In an instant he had her by the throat. "What would you know _medic_?" And come to life his spirit did, raging through his expression and most likely playing havoc on his insides as it did so. Now to deflate it.

She give a soft smile, ignoring the fact that one wrong word and he could snap her neck "I may be 'Konoha's Angel' but I've been insulted before, been hurt emotionally by someone I loved. But I've learned that if I _know_ it's not true, then why should it even affect me? Why the _hell_ should I care what _someone else_ thinks when the only opinion that matters really is my own."

His grasp loosened slightly, "_You_ don't have a demon inside you."

She nodded slightly in agreement because she didn't have the room to move anymore than that. "True, but I've been called a freak before. I mean between my odd hair color and having a second existence or whatever inside me. I think I have _some_ small bit of an idea as to how you feel." He snorted once more, she ignored it though "As a matter of fact that bastard AWOL teammate of mine has never done more than mummify an opponent and yet I've killed dozens of mine." He looked back up at her once more with some semblance of shock at the statement. She couldn't figure out if she should be relieved or angry with said expression now painting this gorgeous male's face. She just continued on though, "But that's just life. Every one has some darkness in them and at the same time they have some good in them too. We all have inner demons Gaara, it is how you deal with them that matters." He let go of her throat all together and ever the graceful person that she was, Sakura fell on her ass.

**~Owwwww.~** She heard that abovementioned second existence whine as the pain shot electric signals throughout her body at the impact. Sakura kept silent though, only looking up at the tall Sand nin before her through short cotton candy locks.

Spirit deflated? Check. Next up: make him see reason.

"You know what a good thing to keep in mind is?" She asked quietly

He looked down at her with unreadable yet still somehow questionable, beautiful eyes.

"'Those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind."

He was quiet for a moment. "Are you one those who don't mind?"

She stared him for a few seconds. Seriously, that wasn't her point. "That's not my point."

"Are you?" He prompted once more.

She sighed figuring it best to just give in to him. "Yes Gaara, and I always will be. But that's not my–"

"Good." He cut her off and reached down to effortlessly drag her to her feet then proceed to tug her into his taut, well-built torso.

"Gaara!" She protested immediately and blushed furiously while she was at it. Did he know she kind of, sort of, maybe had something more than friendship and companionship for him?

He simply wrapped his arms around her waist in a way that stated he was in control. Typical Gaara. She wasn't going to win this one anyway. Then again…

_Oh, fuck it_ Sakura thought to herself.


	3. Your Precious Someone: Valentine's Day

**Title:** Valentine's Day

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Sakura understood perfectly that there was a slim chance of him ever liking her as more than a sister, so this would have to do. "Happy Valentine's Day, Sakura." Too bad the she was so blind.

**Theme:** #5 Your Precious Someone

**Word Count:** 885

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** From Sakura's POV

..:Xx0o0xX:..

I sighed.

I have absolutely no chance. I'm just his pink haired best friend. And besides, he already has this way perfect girlfriend.

I can't compete with Karin. She has one hell of a body, she understands Sasuke better than I ever will and she's always by his side.

I don't stand a chance whatsoever.

But that's alright. Sasuke and I are close friends, and he's always told me everything, along with Naruto, of course. We're the three musketeers; at least that's what we're called anyway. I'm fine with that. But sometimes I really wish Sasuke would see me as something more than a little sister that he has to protect. Because he is so much more to me, he always has been.

Perhaps that's changing.

What Naruto and Sasuke don't know is that I've been hanging out with another guy. Not to make Sasuke jealous or anything, no, I knew they wouldn't like it and would do everything within their power to stop me from being around him. The way everyone, excluding me, sees it is that he's rotten to the core. I don't think that's true.

He's always by himself, and I don't think that he fully chose that. Yeah some of it, but certainly not all of it. And he is incredibly good looking, perhaps more so than Sasuke. But others don't care to see that. He's so contradicting, but it's fun to poke at him and hear him grunt in response. He's nothing like I've ever known, and maybe that's why I want to stick around: because he's so different. But when I'm with him, I forget my problems. Plus after hanging out with him, I don't want to see Sasuke so badly, it's like he's curing me of my unrequited love without even knowing it. Or maybe he does, I don't know.

Because this was my off period, I went outside to the smoking area. No, I don't smoke, I can't stand the smell, but that's where he'll be and right now I can't stand my boys. They seem to think I'm hiding something from them, which I am, so they keep bothering me. Isn't it alright to have some secrets though?

I made my way past all the rocker chicks and bad boys; they're used to me by now. I may be the Perfect Child: 4.0 GPA, parent's pride and joy, Miss Popular, but I'm not always satisfied with it. Some guy nodded to me, I nodded back but made no effort for a conversation because if they want to talk to me then they can. But it's not my obligation to say hello, that's the way I've always been, I just cover it up a lot. I hide who I am to fit the expectations of others. Not with him though, and I can't help but like the feeling.

When I didn't find who I was looking for immediately, some chick that'd seen me with him a lot pointed, with a cigarette in hand, to the entrance of the area. I furrowed my eyebrows. "He isn't here?"

She shook her head, "Just left."

"Any chance he said where he was going?" Very slim chance of that.

She shook her head once more, but didn't say anything. I nodded my thanks and turned on my heel.

I sighed again. This is his off hour too and I just saw him last period. So where the hell is he?

A crimson red rose was suddenly blocking my vision. I wanted to sigh for third time within five minutes. It's Valentine's Day, so I've been getting roses left and right, I even found some in my locker this morning and in between classes. Yeah, I get roses on a daily bases, but because it's Valentine's Day I've been getting a lot more than usual. Suppressing my urge to sigh I lifted my hand and took the rose.

Imagine my surprise when I saw him. He isn't into this stuff, in fact it's amazing he didn't ditch today. So why is he here, and giving me a rose? A red rose none the less.

"Happy Valentine's Day, Sakura." He greeted in his quiet baritone.

It really does amaze me that he doesn't have a girlfriend or isn't popular. He's hot, his voice could easily make any girl melt, and he's a mystery. Isn't that why Sasuke has such a large fanclub? So why doesn't he? It makes no sense.

I couldn't keep the surprise off my face as he glanced at the rose in my hand, which I had pulled to my chest. I smiled then, looking him in the eye. And with a sudden burst of boldness, I pushed myself up to my tiptoes and kissed his cheek.

"Thank you, Gaara."


	4. Hokage: Inauguration

**Title:** Inauguration

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Naruto's dream was finally coming true. He was finally going to be Hokage. Though, it was nice to have someone else to help her through the entire process.

**Theme:** #8 – Hokage

**Word Count:** 1,437

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

I rushed to finish my paper work. So much to do, so little time to do so in. But that was no excuse to be insufficient; I need to do this right so he'll finally accomplish his dream. Of course that means I'm going to be running around with absolutely no time to myself or my honey for the next few weeks. But that's alright because it'll be worth it. Though I can't say my honey will like it all too much, in fact I think he'll be a pain in the ass about this entire thing. He doesn't really get much of a say in the matter, though.

Sasuke and I will be Naruto's advisors and such, what with me being the head medic as well as the Konoha to Suna ambassador and Sasuke being the ANBU commander as well as the Uchiha heir. And of course we're Naruto's siblings to top it off, so Sasuke and I will have to get everything ready and try to make things as smooth and easy as possible for Naruto. We have after all been dealing with the regulations and matters longer than Naruto and can help him out quite splendidly. I know he's counting on us to do this.

The only problem is that Naruto's moving at a much faster pace than Sasuke and I were prepared for, and we're lagging behind the pace we were supposed to be at with the pace that we expected Naruto to be at. In short, we expected the inauguration ceremony to be in three days not this afternoon, and we wouldn't have been ready for it even if it _was_ in three days time. So the two of us have been running around like headless chicken for the past five days trying to get everything done. Hell, I've hardly gotten ten hours of sleep! And I'm sure Sasuke's fairing the same way. We aren't going to tell Naruto, though; this is his special day where his dreams finally come true.

Thankfully, I've had a helping hand around the office. My honey: Subaku no Gaara. See between being Shishou's apprentice and Gaara's girlfriend, I've learned a lot about how things work. That doesn't mean I always know how to handle it or if there or short cuts I can take. Gaara does. So when he got here expecting to congratulate his first and best friend on finally seeing his dreams come true, he found Sasuke and I running around trying to accomplish everything on time and Naruto completely clueless to the entire matter instead. And now he and his siblings are giving us a helping hand. Have I mentioned that I love my honey? Well, I do, very much.

"Sakura-chan!" I groaned, did he never stop? Tch, what am I thinking? _Of course_ he doesn't.

"Hold on!" I shouted back finishing the last of the documents before me and rushing to pick them up in my arms. But of course when I was hurrying to him I'd trip over _nothing_ and spill the documents _everywhere_. I heard a sigh from behind me. "Shut up, Gaara." He grunted and I heard the tell-tale sounds of him padding toward me.

"Klutz. How is everything going to get done if you're having troubles before everything has started? You obviously need help."

I pursed my lips. Had it been a few years prier, I would have felt insulted and snap back rudely. But now I know that's Gaara's backwards way of offering to help me should I ever need it. I snorted, "Gee, thanks Gaara. No need to spare my feelings." I could here the sarcasm drip from that last sentence. But he'd catch my drift, he always does.

He nodded, a small smile on his beautiful facial features, "I'll keep that in mind."

Yeah, I really should learn how to shut my mouth cause now he's going to hold this over my head for a long while or until he finds something else to use against me, whichever comes first. Well, nothing I can do about it now. Instead I just bobbed my head in thanks and except the papers before me that he'd dropped to pick up.

"Sakura-chan!" I huffed. Really!

"Hold your horses, Naruto!" I shouted back not missing Gaara shake his head at our immaturity. I turned and stuck my tongue out at him, "You're the one who chose to be his best friend and me as your girlfriend."

"Perhaps I should have thought those choices out a bit more."

I pouted, "Hey! That's mean, love!"

He snorted, "That's my problem how?"

"Because!"

"Sakura, because is _not_ a reason."

"So?"

He stared at me.

"Fine! Then it's your problem because I…I won't…um…kiss you for the rest of the day! Yeah! That's it!"

He snorted once more. "You won't keep to that and you know it." I'd used this once before, and I was the one to cave and ask for a kiss. Actually come to think of it, I've done this multiple times and I caved every time. He used to narrow his eyes now he just laughs at me with them. "Shouldn't you be getting these to the new Hokage?"

I froze. His porcelain face was inches from mine. I can't say I hate it when he gets so close because typically, he'll kiss me then, but other times he's only teasing me. I never can tell the difference with him, so I always freeze in place. I did manage to nod, but that was a stiff and dumb nod. Really! I love kissing him, but I hate how he has such an affect on me. It makes me feel like some lovesick fan girl all over again. I really don't like it.

He grabbed me and dragged me to my feet with him when he stood. See what I mean? He gets my heart going and then leans back and smirks as if to say 'I-told-you-so' or 'I'm-in-control.'

I didn't object though, I merely scurried toward Naruto's office. Less than an hour to get ready. And he still has so many papers to sign. I can only do so many and get away with using my signature, from there Naruto has to, no exceptions.

I barged inside the room, the Hokage's office, without bothering to knock. I never have before and I see no reason other than Naruto telling me not to, to stop.

"SAKURA-CHAN!"

"I'M RIGHT HERE, IDIOT!" I allowed the stack of papers to thud on the desk in a perfect pile before I hit the baka on the top of his head.

"You know, now that he's Hokage, that would be considered a threat to the him, Sakura?"

I huffed. "I'm well aware of that, thank you very much, Sasuke."

He snorted, shaking his head. "And you'll probably do it again."

"Damn straight."

"Sakura-chan?"

I spun, "What, Naruto?"

He pointed, looking almost frightened at the papers, "What are those?"

I couldn't help smiling. Sasuke face-palmed. Okay so maybe it was an evil, sadistic grin. But hey, who's telling the difference. "These, Naruto, are all the papers that _you_ have to read and sign before the inauguration ceremony."

"WHAT?" I tried desperately not to laugh at his priceless expression; even Sasuke had to turn his head away. Papers were in both our job descriptions so we really don't think about it, even if it's a large skyscraper of documents. "Come on, Sakura-chan, can't you guys help me?"

"No Naruto, these all require your attention and paperwork is a good portion of being Hokage." Sasuke deadpanned. Honestly right now just _looking_ at another document is going to make me run for the hills. Ugh.

So after much complaining and all of three documents Naruto opted for a different approach. _Kage Bunshin no Jutsu_. Why didn't Shishou think of that? Gaara snorted, "Taking short cuts like always, Uzumaki."

"Hey! If it'll get the job done faster then who really cares?"

I shook my head leaning against Gaara since he was right behind me; he in turn wrapped his well muscled arms around my neck. Konoha sure is in for some interesting events ahead, isn't it?


	5. Ready, Steady, Go!: Strong Tower

**Title:** Strong Tower

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto  
**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura  
**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete  
**Summary:** It was okay right? To have support when you need it? To have a shoulder to cry on when you're weak? To have someone to take care of and protect your heart and allow you to do the same? It's okay to love, right?

**Theme:** #9 – Ready, Steady, Go!

**Word Count:** 532

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine

**Note:** Sakura's POV

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Life's not fair.

I learned this lesson the hard way.

My once-upon-a-crush-and-teammate defected from our home, and broke my heart in the process. Less than four years later I lost my sensei. Not even a year after that, my defected ex-teammate and heart's brother battled it out and end up killing each other. My own mentor is planning to step down to allow another to take her place. Rookie Nine doesn't exist anymore, and those who are around have their own lives to live. They don't have time to cheer up a broken comrade.

No, life isn't fair at all.

And for the longest time: it stayed that way.

Then he came.

Subaku no Gaara, the Godaime Kazekage.

It took him one week to decide that I should stay in Suna to help the nurses and doctors. Tsunade-shishou agreed wholeheartedly on the matter as well, so I found myself in Suna a week and a half after meeting Gaara for the first time in a long time.

From there it took him one month to decide I would be a valuable asset and was to become his wife. This part took some getting used to. Living in Suna helping others there was good for me. No more was I haunted with memories everywhere I looked. I was free; free to start anew. The idea of being his wife was for political reasons and part of me objected to that. From young, I had decided that no matter what I'd marry for love. Still a part of me liked the ring 'Subaku no Sakura' had to it. So after a week of spending hour after hour with him because I wanted to know who I was marrying, I agreed.

I was given one week to plan a large, extravagant, week-long wedding. I had everything that I required to accomplish this feat at my fingertips, and so I fulfilled my responsibilities within my time limit. Thankfully Ino-Pig had put me through dozens of weddings so it wasn't too hard planning; the only thing that stumped me was where to place Suna's important residents.

And on the seventh day of our wedding, it finally occurred to me.

I wasn't shattered anymore. I was proud and confident and outgoing once more. I even had my temper back. It also occurred to me that Gaara had returned me to who I was and made me stronger within two months time.

Gaara is my strong tower; my pillar of strength when I'm weak. And I'm never going to let him go. I can only hope that he won't push me away.


	6. Tricycle: Of All Things

**Title:** Of All Things

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Gaara scowled, he could not, _could not_, believe he'd tripped over a _tricycle_ of all things. AND broke his ankle while he was at it.

**Theme:** #13 – Tricycle

**Word Count:** 1,034

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Subaku no Gaara, the official Godaime Kazekage of at least five years scowled. This was embarrassing and a large blow to his pride. He had after all _tripped_ over a _tricycle_ and managed to _break_ his ankle. Which of course landed him in the hospital. Not Suna's though, he couldn't decide if he should be thankful for that or not, but in Konoha's. Doing so in Suna would allow his people to see him weak, he couldn't afford that. Doing so in Konoha allowed those outside his home to see him weak, which also is unacceptable. But it happened. And now he'd have to suffer the consequences of it.

There was a quick 'knock, knock' before the door opened.

And he groaned inwardly. The medic that walked in humming some tune off-key to herself was the one and only Haruno, Sakura. He knew from Naruto that she liked teasing her patients and being cheery when she was able to. He knew from experience that she could be quiet aggravating when she put her mind to it. And to top it off, she was probably the only one who, besides the Hokage herself, could heal his ankle and have him out the door in less than an hour. She also would be the only one to know of what had actually happened, and he was going to make sure of that.

She smiled when she finally looked up. "Why hello Gaara, this is a pleasant surprise."

He nodded stiffly, anticipating the worst. She laughed and he knew she had caught onto his tenseness from the second she walked in. Why couldn't she have been some skilled yet not self-confident medic that he could intimidate into doing what he wanted? Which would be to treat him and forget the whole thing ever happened. But no, he had to get one of the only females that he can't intimidate and the only one who wouldn't think twice about teasing him about it now and later. The universe hated him, that had to be it because somehow he always ended up in this petite female's care whenever he ended up in the hospital.

"What happened?" She asked while prodding his leg carefully while her intent and completely professional gaze gauged his every reaction.

He looked away, he never really did like that blank mask of hers, it didn't suit her. Especially with how expressive she normally is. "Tripped." He stated as evenly as he could, anything else would just give her more license to mock him later on.

She paused for a second and gave him a look that told him she wanted more information than that. He didn't budge though. "Gaara, I will need more information than that. Like what did you trip over?"

"Tricycle." She snorted and he whipped his head back to catch her eye. She was trying to put her mask back together through her mirth. He narrowed his eyes. "Do you have something you'd like to say, _medic_?"

She shook her had and tore her eyes from his focusing on his leg. "I'll have this fixed in a gif." And she inserted her very warm and comforting chakra into the area around his ankle. Her chakra was one of the oddest things about her; he couldn't recall anyone who had such warm and inviting chakra no matter what. It matches her personality and her smile quiet well. Of course, her odd chakra would never top the fact that her hair is a bright _natural_ pastel pink. And she has sharp emerald green eyes to match. On anyone else, he was sure it'd look absolutely ridiculous.

In less then thirty minutes, she pulled her chakra from his system. The sudden loss of it after he'd just gotten used to it caught him slightly off guard, not that he would show it of course.

She had a smile on her face along with a raised pink eyebrow. "You honestly broke your ankle because you tripped over a tricycle?"

And again he narrowed his sea foam green eyes as menacingly as he could. "Drop it."

She laughed now, and no matter how nice the sound, it didn't change the fact that she was laughing at his expense and that wasn't acceptable whatsoever. "Gaara, you have 'love' tattooed into your forehead, it's hard to be intimidated with that there."

He growled. It was there for a reason and that in no way included a reason for her to mock him. "I said drop it."

She sighed, "I meant no offense to you Gaara. I just didn't think something so…I don't know, simple would happen to you. I've seen worse over trivial matters, believe me. What caught me off guard was that it happened to you."

That was another thing; she was always so bloody honest that he never knew what to think of some of her statements, this one being a prime example. In her mind, he is a very graceful person, so an everyday trivial matter happening to him had thrown her off guard. At least that's what she had admitted. She didn't think him perfect, but still graceful and slightly above such a thing, but not above anyone else. It made no sense to him how that works, but apparently it does to her. Just another thing to add to the list of oddities that surrounded this woman.

He nodded, not sure what would be the best reply without offending the hypersensitive female.

"So what brings you to Konoha?"

"Kage business." He answered avoiding an actual answer, but still giving the reason.

She snorted, "_Of course_. And here I was hoping that it was you tripping over a tricycle and break your ankle just to spend time with little old me."


	7. Bingo Book: Matter of Time

**Title:** Matter of Time

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** They were all placed in one; it was only a matter of time.

**Theme:** #16 – Bingo Book

**Word Count:** 1,783

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

She sighed when she saw her picture. She really didn't like her picture, she never did. In her opinion, a picture did no justice to portray the person it had captured. It only captured the surface, never what was beneath. And on top of that, it never did actual appearances justice either. But they had to be taken. It was a requirement that no ninja could avoid. Especially when one achieved a stature such as the one she had.

She was in the bingo book of every one of the five great nations and other shinobi villages except Konoha and Suna. Great. Now she would be hunted as well. True it was an honor. It showed strength, but she didn't like others determining her strength by the amount of damage she could produce or what her social standing was. She could do that just fine on her own.

She was currently in Suna and a new bingo book had been released. She had been bored and for one reason or another, had decided to flip through it since she wasn't currently busy with lectures or patients. Honestly, she was in her pajamas enjoying a cup of coffee in the living room sofa of the large Subaku residence where she usually stayed while in Suna's boarders. Temari would have a fit and a scene if Sakura didn't stay with her and her two younger brothers. And because it wouldn't look all to well to have the Kazekage's elder sister causing a scene, Gaara had stated from her very first visit that she would stay in his home in one of the guest rooms and no where else. That any where else would be disrespectful to him and therefore Suna.

So rather than argue with the stubborn male, she allowed him to make all of her living arrangements for every time she visited. Besides it saved time, trouble and money this way.

Plus the pink-haired kunoichi had grown fond of Gaara over the years. At times she felt closer to him than she did to Naruto. And Naruto might as well be her brother for how close the two were and how high of a regard they held each other in.

She found Suna to be like a second home since she had relocated to being here half a year ago on her Shishou's orders to make Suna's hospitals just as prosperous and experienced as Konoha's. Sakura wasn't the head medic and second only to Tsunade herself for nothing. And so she'd learned to get into the habit of waking up early if she wanted to spend time with Gaara. It was fun to poke and prod at the powerful red head when his people weren't around to observe. He wasn't so withdrawn and regal seeming then. In fact, he seemed like a broody male who would snap at her when she got under his skin, who didn't mind insulting her when she deserved it, and everything else that was within his character, but he wasn't entitled to show because he was expected to be more as the Kazekage. His people looked to him and so he couldn't simply act his age. It was nice to be around him when he didn't need to be.

Though, he was still an all around jerk. No way around that. The only difference was that as the Kazekage, he was more pompous and when he wasn't before his people he was a blunt asshole when he wanted to be. She honestly preferred the bluntness to the subtlety. But that was just her. Besides, the real Gaara was always better then one he showed to others.

As a medic, she'd learned to wake up early and go to bed late and not be tired throughout the day. So it was easy for her to wake up earlier than Gaara even though he was always up before first light and to also be up when he returned well after midnight. That didn't mean he was happy with her when she did it. In his opinion, she was unnecessarily pushing herself and wasted much needed sleep and energy.

Then she'd point out that he hardly slept either.

And his reply would be that he was Shukaku's container until he was fifteen and therefore didn't need as much sleep.

Of course this would stump her because she never knew what to say. It was a touchy subject for him, even if he'd never say so openly. So typically she'd pout or look away or some other childishness of that sort.

Then he'd snort.

And the conversation would be over so she'd find a new one, even after he'd already told her to go to bed. Though he never once told her to shut up or go away. So she stayed next to him if only to get under his skin and laugh at him when his beautiful sea foam green eyes glared at her half-heartedly.

That was how she'd spent her last six months. Lectures, working in the hospital, beginning and ending her days beside Gaara, and of course, hanging out with Temari when the two young women could convene to wreak havoc on Suna's occupants. She wouldn't have any other way either.

Naruto would visit once a month if he could as well, saying that even with his 'precious and innocent sister' so far away, he had to make sure she was alright and still innocent. Then he'd realize that the Subaku's were present as well and so state that he supposed he had to visit his sister's hosts and hostesses as well. And never once fail to look possessive of Sakura the whole time. Until either Sakura or Temari bopped the idiot on the head to remind him that he was married to Ino and shouldn't be acting like a possessive boyfriend.

To which he'd say that Ino was a loud handful – every one snorted to themselves here – then go on to say that he could be protective – not possessive – of Sakura because she was his little sister and she needed protecting.

Then Sakura would crack her fist warningly and Naruto would gulp nervously but wouldn't back down – because that would be against his nindo – and would end up face first in the ground for it. Thus ending the greetings.

The green eyed woman heard a snort from behind her, waking her from her stupor. She didn't bother to turn around. "Good morning, Gaara. Did you sleep well?"

"Fine." No one but Sakura knew that Subaku no Gaara was actually a zombie within the first half an hour of waking. So zombie plus his usual anti-social tendency ended up with a very quiet and inactive Gaara. Which was fine with her, because she was a morning person.

She bobbed her head and unfolded her limbs so she could stand, careful to not spill the very hot coffee all over herself. She'd done that once and had no desire to do so again if she could help it. Then she held out her mug of caffeine, "Coffee?"

He stared at her for moment then dropped his gaze to the offered coffee cup. She did this every morning and only every now and then did he accept it. He noted in the back of his mind that she was using his cup again. She was in a mischievous mood. She only took his cup when she was in such a mood. He groaned inwardly, he really wasn't in the mood for her cheery antics. He debated taking the coffee, he didn't think he'd need it today, but if she thought he thought he'd need it then she'd back off. Finally he decided to just live with her abrupt urge to be more of a pain in the ass than usual and declined her offer.

She shrugged, "Your choice." And then she retracted her hand taking a sip herself. Then she trailed after him as he headed for the breakfast nook "Anything worth mentioning today?"

He shook his head, already disheveled crimson locks becoming even more so. In her opinion, he looked hot when he was just waking up, still half-dead to the world. She couldn't help but smile to herself. She didn't miss the sudden alertness in his eyes when he caught it. She chuckled inwardly, he thought she was in a mischievous mood and her smile was to be his forewarning for what was to come.

"Hey did you know? I'm now in every bingo book except Konoha and Suna, don't I feel like a celebrity."

"I knew."

She snorted, "Right, sorry, I forgot that you're the Kazekage and therefore would know when someone was placed in the bingo book."

He gave a curt nod, choosing to ignore her lack of respect. She only showed respect when there were onlookers. That or she was trying to hide something and thought formality was the best way to go. It wasn't of course, he saw through it every time.

She then yawned and stretched like a cat. Of course with her arms extended in the air as far as they could go caused her shirt to ride up allowing the a sliver of milky white skin to be seen between her white tank top and red bottoms that engulfed her feet. Then she brought her arms back down, but didn't bother to fix her shirt. She tended to do that and he could never figure out if she was trying to be enticing or the thought just didn't register that she should pull her shirt back down.

It drove him insane though, because he knew it was there and couldn't stop glancing, so for the first time, he let impulse guide his movements when it came to this kunoichi and so he reached over and tugged her shirt back down successfully hiding the bit of showing stomach.

Sakura double blinked at the unexpected move. She hadn't realized that her shirt had come up to show off part of her stomach so much so that it actually _bothered_ Gaara. Then she felt heat rush to her face when the information sunk in.

When Gaara caught the pink dust sprinkling from one proud cheek to the other, he didn't think to stop his next few words, "Hmm. You look cute like that."


	8. Icha Icha Paradise: Happy Birthday!

**Title:** Happy Birthday!

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** How embarrassing! She couldn't believe Kakashi had done that. Really, she wasn't Naruto she didn't read the stuff. But nooo he had to go and give it to her for her eighteenth birthday, _in front of everyone_.

**Theme:** #24 Icha Icha Paradise

**Word Count:** 4,860

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** From Sakura's POV

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Naruto, Gaara decided, wasn't just an idiot sometimes, he was an idiot _all_ of the time.

He'd contacted him and told him he had to come to Konoha immediately, that it was an emergency. Tch, some emergency. His so called 'emergency' was that he need help planning Sakura's birthday party and buying her a present. Of course, then he insisted that Gaara had to buy her one too because 'he can't help with the party and then show up with no present' as Naruto had put it. 'It would bum her out' he had stated. Who said he was attending in the first place? Oh right, Naruto. If it wasn't frowned on to kill the blond Kyuubi vessel, he would.

So right now, he was helping pick out decorations and Sakura's gift from both eighteen-year-old Jinchuriki. But really, why couldn't they just buy her more weapons and be done with it, why was Naruto making such a big deal of things? It's not that hard. But when Gaara voiced these opinions of his, Naruto shook his head and said that weapons were far from the right present for Sakura's_ eighteenth _birthday party. Why is the fact that it was her eighteenth birthday that made it special, he would never know, nor did he think he wanted to.

"Maybe cloths." Naruto pondered out loud, then shook his head, "Man, I should have dragged Ino with us, that way this wouldn't be so hard. But she and Sasuke already got Sakura her presents so they're preoccupying her…" Gaara wisely chose not to say anything. "This is harder than I thought." The blonde jonin grumbled loudly.

"Jewelry." Gaara stated, wondering if Naruto would take to that idea so he could hurry up and leave this overly crowded place. He had glanced around and saw the shop not to far down the road to their left. It was worth a shot anyway.

His soon-to-be fellow Kage turned to Gaara, then suddenly brightened and nodded vigorously. "That's a great idea Gaara!" And he was dragging him toward said shop. The Fifth Generation Wind Shadow growled audibly at being dragged around like a doll, but the blonde didn't seem to notice. Oh right, the brash idiot was used to people growling at him.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Currently I'm out with Sasuke and Ino. I honestly think they're up to something. I mean really, first they dragged me out of my house, insisting I train with them, when normally Sasuke and Ino can't stand to be in the same _room_ as one another, let alone train together. So of course the two kept jumping down each other's throats. I mean really, these two are worse than Naruto and Sasuke. I think I liked it better when Sasuke hardly, if ever, acknowledged Ino, at least I didn't get that big of a headache out of them arguing.

What's funny though, is I don't think they hate each other, or even remotely dislike each other. Oh no, I think they _love_ each other.

Ino insults Sasuke every chance she gets, but no one else can do the same. If there is any chance Sasuke is injured, she's by his side immediately to heal said injury no matter how she and Sasuke grumble about it. She's also defensive when I tease her about it.

Sasuke on the other hand, will occasionally ask if Ino's gotten herself killed yet and even though he tries to act disappointed every time I say no, I know that's his way of hinting that he cares for Ino, deeply. He, like Ino, doesn't like anyone who insults the two tone eye colored female. He's also very protective her. He makes sure she doesn't get to close to any one of the opposite sex, and will on purpose scare away any potential suitors. This is his way of making sure she's his, and his alone, even if he won't say it aloud.

Really! If they love each other so much, they should just admit it.

Right now we're on one of the main streets in Konoha while the two argue over what store to go in. I wonder if they've told each other yet.

Oh. Light bulb.

I stepped to the side so I was right behind Ino. See when the two argue like they are now, they tend to get so close to each other that there faces aren't even two inches apart. So I 'accidentally' bumped into Ino causing her to fall forward slightly, but just enough so she and Sasuke were kissing.

Ha! I win. Then I took a step back and watched the scene play out.

Ino made the exact moves I thought she would. She didn't pull away really quickly, nope she seemed to freeze then slowly move to wrap her left arm around Sasuke's neck then place her elbow of her other arm on Sasuke's shoulder and placed the hand connected said elbow on top of his head.

See! I was right! She totally loves him. Yeah, I'm the one who literally pushed her into it, but she took the initiative and started kissing Sasuke for real.

And Sasuke obviously wasn't pushing her away, in fact, he'd wrapped his right arm around the small of her back and placed his other hand on the back of her neck.

Who was right? I was! I couldn't help but do a victory dance inside my head.

I know I shouldn't be watching because it's an invasion of privacy, but I can't help it. Maybe now I won't have to her either of them grip and groan when I'm with them just to cover up that they don't like each other, and perhaps they won't jump down each other's throats every time they're together. I sighed inwardly, that's still a long way off and maybe it'll never happen. It could be very well that they do get together but still argue with each other just as much as they do now. Maybe that's just the nature of they're relationship. Oh well. If nothing else, they might just stop gripping and groaning about each other when the other isn't around.

Then suddenly they pulled apart as finally realizing what they were doing. I snickered soundlessly, so much for being quick to react. Ino was blushing horribly and Sasuke had turned away to cover up the blush I knew was across his cheeks too, he'd even shoved his hands in his pockets. Ino whipped around glaring at me. "Sakura." Oops. I'm going to be so dead when she gets her hands on me.

Still I smiled as innocently as I could, "Yes, Ino?"

"I am _so_ getting you back for this." Yep, dead meat.

"For what? You're the one who lost your balance aren't you?"

"You _pushed_ me." Might as well get the most fun out of this as possible.

"But can you _prove_ that it was me?"

She huffed and looked away. No, no she couldn't, and she knew it too. I grinned. In response she through her hands up, "Ugh!" And now I was laughing. I felt Sasuke shot me a warning glare, but I couldn't help but laugh all the harder, bending over slightly from doing so. Just because they're dangerous to others doesn't mean they'll be dangerous to me. I've been subjected to their fury one too many times to be fazed by it.

Ino stocked off into a clothing story and I moved to follow her still giggling. Sasuke instantly moved to be in-step with my blond female best friend.

"Where do you think you're going?" Sasuke growled.

I sighed, and they're at it_ again_.

..:Xx0o0xX:.

Oddly enough, Ino somehow got me to try on a very pretty dress, but that's not the odd part, when I stepped on of the fitting rooms Sasuke was gone.

So sporting a confused face I turned to Ino, she ignored it. "Oh how pretty!"

"I agree, but Ino–"

"Turn around"

I complied, "Ino–"

"How does it feel?"

"Great, it fits like a glove. Where's Sa–"

"Wow." This time it wasn't Ino cutting me off, nope it's Sasuke. Well I guess that answers my question. But it brought up another, Sasuke's not easily impressed, so does it really look that good on me? I watched as Sasuke strode over to Ino and whispered something in her ear. What the hell is up with these two today? Ino nodded and turned to me.

"Okay Forehead Girl, go change back into your clothes."

"What? But–" Too late, she'd already pushed me back into the fitting rooms. And for a moment, I couldn't help but just stand there dumbfounded. What the hell is going on here? I didn't even think about it as I changed out of the beautiful and very extravagant dress and back into my clothes.

When I returned Ino gave me no room to make anything but sounds. A yelp of surprise as she grabbed my arm and dragged me and a huh as she pulled the dress from my arms and threw it at Sasuke while telling him to buy it. When I tried to dig my heels into the ground, Ino simply maneuvered so she was behind me and thrust me into her house. Sasuke was suddenly behind her with a frown and the dress. She proceeded to take the dress from him, kick him out of the room, strip me out of my clothes and pull the dress on.

Um…anyone as confused as I am here?

She then shoved me in front of her vanity and applied make-up. Unfortunately, I was _way_ too dazed and shocked to fight her every step of the way like I knew I should have. In fact the only thing still going through my mind was 'what the hell is going on here?'.

"There, finished." Finished with what? And the next thing I knew she was dragging me all the way to Sasuke's front door, Sasuke in tow of course. When I looked at Ino, she was smiling giddily as if anticipating something very good to happen, but when she looked at my confused face it instantly turned into a frowning exasperated countenance. "Come _on_, Sakura" She stomped her foot for emphasis. I simply blinked. Did I miss an event? The Spring festival is coming up and no birthdays or events are happening today. I mean it's only March 28th, right? What's so special about today? "You forget your birthday every year! I thought if it was your eighteenth birthday you'd at least remember it once. Guess not." Oh, my birthday. Oops.

I smiled sheepishly, "So _that's_ what all this" – I gestured to my attire – "is about."

Ino rolled her eyes and returned to her giddy state, "Just get inside."

Grinning I opened my door and stepped inside–

"SURPRISE!"

–and gawked at my surroundings. Sasuke's whole house was decorated in birthday party stuff: banners, streamers, and balloons, the whole shebang. Wow, just wow.

"Oh, my gosh." It seems like every one I know has attended, that could be why it's at Sasuke's house; he has a pretty big home. By everyone I mean the rookie nin, team Gai, the sand siblings, Sasuke's immediate family, Tsunade, Shizune, Jiraiya, and all of the sensei's. So about twenty-five people, but still, that's a lot.

Ino pushed me inside the house, "Jappy birthday, Forehead Girl."

..:Xx0o0xX:..

I can't believe they did all this. They even did presents! I'm eighteen for goodness sake; I don't think I need presents. Besides it kind of makes me feel like a little kid because the last time I got presents for my birthday was when I was fourteen and Akatsuki had yet to crush Konoha. That was the last birthday my parents were alive for. So having this majorly big birthday party with a whole bunch of presents and everything is totally new to me. Mum had always promised she'd do this for my eighteenth birthday, back then I'd just laugh and say 'sure, sure' not believing that she would, but I guess in a way she did. Thanks Mum.

Right now I'm sitting in a chair with everyone gathered around. I feel like a queen or something, though I think that's kind of the idea. Ino had declared it was present time. God, I feel so embarrassed. I must look like a pampered princess right about now when I'm definitely not. And I'm sure everyone here knows that too, but that doesn't stop the feeling. Okay Sakura, deep breath, it'll be over before you know it. Tch, yeah right, Ino's going to drag this out because it's her goal to make me feel embarrassed. Hell she even has a video camera! Best friends are _so _embarrassing.

"Mmkay, Sakura, present time."

"Inoooo this is seriously not necessary. It is way too over the top."

"Good, then you'll always remember it."

"Oh come on."

"Stop whining Forehead Girl, it'll be fun."

Fun my ass.

I looked away only to look directly in Subaku no Gaara's eyes. I can't believe he came all the way here from Suna _just_ for my birthday. Honestly, I think Naruto tricked him into it and the blonde got his ass kicked for it too. I laughed inwardly at the thought. But the odd thing is ever since I got here, I've been bumping into him repeatedly and I really don't know what to make of it. Gaara's not the stalker type and even if he was, why would he stalk me? But I'll bump into him some times literally and sometimes we just end up standing next to each other. He never says anything, just nods in acknowledgement to me. But his eyes, oh my god his eyes. They seem to smolder every time we lock gazes, almost as if he's telling me to come to him. That can't possibly be true though. Yeah, I have to admit, he is intense, really handsome, and loyal. I think I have a crush on him, but I'm not going to even go there. The last time I had a crush on a broody, quiet male I ended up with a broken heart and a few years on rebound.

So of course, I tried to find my way out of our locked gazes, but I couldn't. I never can with him; it's like my will to be independent falls short around him. I decked Sasuke in the jaw for being a jackass even when I had that crush on him, but now that my crush has set its sights on Gaara I can't bare the thought of going against his wishes no matter what.

Honestly it's getting on my nerves. Today isn't the first day either. I'm normally sent to Suna to make sure Suna's hospital is holding up well and everything. During these visits, Gaara makes it so I'm a guest at his home. So we bump into each other a lot, and even sometimes in the literal sense. And every damn time we lock gazes, and every damn time I lose. He really is something else. But there's zero chance he'll ever like me back in that sense. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

Suddenly a present was thrust at me and Gaara let me go, so I turned my head back to facing Ino and took the present. From Team 8: Kiba, Hinata, Shino and Kurenai. First I took out the card seeing as it was just one big bag. The card had three balloons floating into the blue sky with a little girl reaching for it. Next to the girl was 'HAPPY BIRTHDAY!' I smiled and flipped the card open

Happy birthday, birthday girl!

**We** Hope you have a great birthday.

You can tell they added in the 'we'

**Hey, Sakura. Eighteen, huh? If you ask me you should celebrate your 2–**

_**Kiba!**_

**What? Anyway happy eighteenth birthday.**

– **Kiba**

I laughed at that one. Trust Kiba to say something like that and get scolded for it.

Happy birthday, Sakura.

– Hinata

I smiled appreciatively at that, simple and sweet just like Hinata herself.

– _Shino_

…Well he signed it, and it's not like we were ever all that close in the first place.

_**My apologies about Kiba. He doesn't seem to know what he's supposed to put on a card.**_

**Kurenai-sensei!**

_**Happy birthday, Sakura, I hope you love it. It was all Ino, Naruto, and Sasuke's idea.**_

– _**Kurenai**_

I looked up at said members who had signed this card with a smile, "Thanks.."

"Sure, sure." Kiba stated flippantly.

Hinata blushed prettily, "You're welcome, Sakura."

Shino nodded.

Kurenai nodded as well, "It was our pleasure." She then shot a look at kiba who grinned back sheepishly causing everyone to laugh.

I then dug their gifts out of the bag.

A bug guide to all bugs book from Shino, a new kunai set from Kurenai, and one of those blocks of glass that had an imagine inside it – this one had a rose – from Hinata. As much as I loved the first few I couldn't help but furrow my brow, "Where is yours Kiba?"

"I didn't think it'd be a good idea to put your present from in the bag." He then bent down to pick up a cardboard box by his feet and hand it to me. I couldn't help my growing confusion. What in the world could he put in a box that he couldn't put in a bag? Then I heard a bark as something jumped out at me.

A puppy!

From what I could tell, this was a mostly dark colored female wolf.

I grasped the small thing in shock. It proceeded to wag its small black tail and try to lick me. Always one to love cute mammals, I allowed it to. "It's so cute! Thank you Kiba."

"I thought you'd love it." He was grinning a satisfied grin.

"I do, I do!" I then tried to get the small wolf to sit in my lap. But really, it just wouldn't set still, so I pushed a bit of my chakra in it while mentally willing it to lay and sleep. Amazingly enough, it did. It curled up ever so cutely in my lap and closed its small eyes. "How old?"

"Six weeks." Wow. Maybe sitting here and doing presents isn't so bad after all. Again I nodded my thanks to Squad 8.

But as soon as I'd carefully put their presents to the side, puppy still in my lap, and got the rest of the now obsolete gift bag to the other side of me, Ino shoved four presents at me. And that's how the rest of the 'opening presents time' as Ino deemed it proceeded.. If I finished one batch and thanked the people she'd shove more at me. By now I had settled on a name for my lovely new puppy. Said name is Amaya I thought it has a nice ring to it and she just seems like an Amaya to me. Until we got to my team.

What would my boys give me?

Ramen coupons from Naruto and weapons from Sasuke most likely. What about Kakashi, though?

I didn't have much time to ponder though as Naruto shoved his gift in my hands. It was a box, pretty good sized. Never mind, I take back that ramen coupons comment. Wonder what it is. I was tempted to shake it but instead I just took off the lid after taking the tape off on all sides when I looked inside I couldn't help the twitch of my eyebrow. It was another box. I looked up to the blonde idiot and said idiot was grinning _like an idiot_. "Open it." I bet this is one of those practical jokes he loves pulling. Still I removed the box from the larger one only to find that this box and the other were exactly alike excluding size. They're part of a set, and a set means more than two. So I quickly pulled the lid off of the box repeating the process of removing the tape and I found yet another familiar lid before me. Now I sent a glare Naruto's way. But the damned blonde was still grinning like a bloody idiot.

Amaya stirred and looked up from her place curled against my abdomen. She must've sensed my irritation so stifling the urge to tell her to bite Naruto, I rubbed the fur that was closest to my hand which happened to be her back that was bent form being curled in her tight ball. After a moment, her head fell back to where it had been between her paws. Smiling, I looked back to Naruto's present finding that my irritation had disappeared while observing my little pup. My smile widened and I opened at least three more identical boxes before I hit a small one that _had_ to be the last one. So I opened it…and stared.

"Like it Sakura?" I could hear the grin in his ever so cheerful voice.

Tugging the slips of paper out of the small box I fixed him with a death glare. "Oh yes, Naruto,"

His grin widened, "I thought you would."

"Because I absolutely love being given two ramen coupons that _already expired_." I expected something like this but really? Did they have to be expired? Well don't I feel loved.

"What? No way. Let me see those." So without further adieu, he snatched them from my hands and observed them. After a moment he turned sheepish, "oops, sorry Sakura."

Ino sighed shaking her head, Sasuke made the exact same action and they both muttered 'idiot'. And that is why they were made for each other. Allowing my eyes to sweep the crowd before me, I found everyone had similar reactions. Poor Hinata looked mortified with her hand covering most her face and what could be seen was twisted in a silent groan. Hopefully Naruto does more for her birthday than he did mine, after all I'm just the sister, she's the girlfriend.

Why does it seem like all of my friends are taken or are damn near being taken and I'm not? I mean Ino and Sasuke might as well stop their denial parade and just make out already. Naruto's planning the best way to propose to Hinata without her fainting. Tenten is wearing a promise ring form Neji. Hell even Kakashi's been spending a lot of time with Anko. This sucks..

My gaze landed on Gaara, instead of like the other's, his captivating sea foam green eyes held the slightest bits of amusement and some small bit of annoyance. Seriously, he has a very twisted sense of humor because this most certainly isn't funny. If I could, I would have stomped over there and told him that myself, but I still have Sasuke and Kakashi's presents to go. So instead, I made a mental note to catch him and tell him later. I went to turn my attention back to Sasuke, but I realized that he'd trapped me in his eyes again. Damn it! Can he not do that when we lock gazes just once? In my peripheral vision I saw Sasuke hand me two boxes and thus Gaara released me.

Free of his spell, I turned my attention to the flat log box and the smaller cubic one tied on top of it. Curiosity spiked, I reached out and took the presents from his hands. First I untied the small box from the elongated rectangular one and opened the latter of the two boxes. Imagine my surprise when I found Sasuke's first sword inside it. Yeah he has a new one, but to give me his old one? I tugged the sword from its scabbard and drifted my hand across the flat of the blade as if to feel if it was really there and it was really Sasuke's first sword. Then I looked at the raven-haired teen for answers or something, but all he did was smirk and tell me to check the other box.

The cubic box looked like it might hold a piece of jewelry which didn't seem like Sasuke. He didn't do this type of thing. But after unwrapping the small box and opening the lid I could only sit there dumbfounded once more as I tugged out my half of the friendship bracelet. See when I was like eight or so I had somehow worked up the courage to go give Sasuke a gift so I got a two friendship bracelets that said 'each' on one and 'other' on the either. I kept the 'other' one and shoved the 'each' in his hands. I really honestly thought he'd gotten rid of it or something because he never wore it. And after Sasuke broke my heart by saying that he'd never love me I head thrown mine at his head. Looking at Sasuke now, I realized for the first time that he had a bracelet around his wrist. I had no idea he'd kept both all this time.

"I didn't want to break it before I figured out what it meant." He supplied and I felt my nose sting and knew that was the only sign I'd get to know tears were going to spring to life soon. So I shook my head and carefully picked up Amaya as I stood then I placed her in the chair. She looked up at me with questioning eyes but I only patted her head as I turned and hugged Sasuke.

See most thought that Sasuke is an emotionless bastard and even though he'll never say 'I love you' or something as direct as that, he'll still go the extra mile to do things like this for those he care's about. That's just his way of showing he cares, he prefers actions and materialistic stuff compared to words that will never be tangible. I hope Ino already understands that because it sure as hell took me quiet a while to learn that for myself.

After a moment, I returned to my seat and placed my blackish pup where she belonged. Then I turned to the last person to give me a gift. He in turn handed me a box that nearly fell out of my hands because I wasn't prepared for the weight. Books or something like that. I can't think of anything else that he'd give me that could be so heavy. So curious as to what kind of books my sensei had so graciously bought me I flipped the flaps open. I felt the heat rise to my face

Does my team just love making me stop and just _stare_ in shock or surprise? Because I picked up one book dropped it and exclaimed, "KAKASHI!"

He merely smiled. Yet another trend in my team, it's as if I'm giving them the reaction they expect or something. "Yes Sakura?"

I picked up the book again and waved it in the air, my blush still not dying down any. I wonder if it's embarrassment or anger, because I most certainly feel both. "Seriously? I threaten to burn your books every time I see you with your face in them and you went and _bought_ me" I glanced down "the _whole series_?"

He shrugged.

I swear, sometimes I just want to pull my hair out of my head. Why are these people the ones closest to me? I could faintly hear the whole room erupt in laughter. Ugh. At least Sasuke made up for my two boneheads for teammates. I glanced at said heartthrob to find him chuckling. Never mind, he's just as bad as them. I continued to skim the crowed and for the who knows what number of time my gaze locked with Gaara's laughing one. And for some reason I couldn't find it in me to be angry or exasperated with him too. All I could think was that his eyes were warm and welcoming like that and he should laugh more often even though he wasn't laughing by any other means than his eyes and his entire posture screamed distanced. He's eyes probably didn't seem to welcome either but with how many times we lock eyes it's become so easy to catch the minute differences in them that were tell tale the emotions that he'd never openly express.

And then it hit me.

I didn't get a gift from Gaara.

* * *

Here's the link for the puppy but you'll have to imagine it at six weeks: .com/images11/MIX%20Norwegian%20ElkhoundGerman%20ShepardNikita%20%20sep%


	9. Leap of Faith: Sometimes

**Title:** Sometimes

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Sometimes you have to look before you leap. Sometimes falling is the inevitable. Sometimes that leap and the fall are worth it all. Sometimes.

**Theme:** 50 Shinobi LJ challenge (#29 – Leap of Faith)

**Word Count:** 1,453

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

Sometimes you have to look before you leap.

She stared at the redhead for a few moments hoping she'd heard wrong. Eyeing incredulously would probably be a better description of what she was doing, though. Had he really just proposed that? Did he really think she was going to undress just because he'd demanded her to? Like hell she would. "Gaara. Did you fall on your head when you were really young?"

Predictably he didn't like the rhetorical question. He even narrowed his eyes just to show how much he didn't like it. "I said, undress" Nope she didn't hear him wrong. And hey, he even added a bit of steel to his voice. He really _is_ insane. She'd always suspected of course, this just proved it was all.

And thus her temper and modesty kicked right into action. "And why, pray tell, should I do that?" She had used such a saccharine sweet tone that it should have been blatantly obvious to him that he was treading on thin ice and should back the hell off.

Did he? "You are wet." No.

She scowled furiously, "No shit. I think I've already figured that out for myself, but thanks for pointing that out."

And his eyes narrowed even further. A bit more and they'd be horizontal cat pupils, or at least that's what they'd resemble. "Drop the sarcasm, _medic_"

She growled at being ordered around by him for the nth time that day. "Why the hell should I, _Kazekage-sama_?" The pink haired spitfire spat back, speaking his title as if it were venom.

Now he growled, feed up with her lack of self-preservation that put her pride above the fact that if she didn't undress and get her ass over here then she'd died of hyperthermia. In fact he was so feed up he stocked over to her.

Green eyes widened when she saw him advance. True she was strong. But she so was freezing and exhausted both physically and emotionally that she had no way to fight back should he choose to get physical. And no thanks to her mouth it looked like he was going to. But it didn't change the fact that she would not take off her cloths or do anything else he'd commanded _just_ because he had demanded her to. She wasn't his servant, hell she wasn't even a Suna civilian. She was part of Konoha and no where in her job description or current mission did it state that she had to follow his every command. And the Haruno would be damned if she did.

So that meant she should retreat until he gave up. That is exactly what she did too. She backed up one step for every forward advance he made. Even if it meant taking two to turn. Suddenly she was very thankful for having the whiskered hero of Konoha as her best friend and heart's brother. She was also glad to have Shishou as her mentor. Because it was times like these that she needed the all but nonexistent strength to keep going and be as stubborn as the situation called for.

What she didn't foresee, and boy should she have, was that she'd back herself into the bed, lose her footing and get trapped by the youngest of the Subaku siblings. Well crap. There went the whole 'stay elusive until he stopped chasing her' plan.

Once he was sure she wouldn't be able to go anywhere he unzipped her shirt and shoved her shorts and medical skirt down. She fought him every step of the way of course, making it as hard for him as she could. Didn't she see that she was going to die if she didn't stop being stupid? And since she was the Hokage's prized student if he let her die that would ultimately ruin the truce between Konoha and Suna. And he couldn't have that. So he'd have to do this. After she was out of her thoroughly soaked cloths, he'd left her undergarments where they were because he wasn't going to go _that_ far, he proceeded to shove her into the middle of the twin-sized bed and pull the covers over them as he slid in next to her.

Sakura stopped fighting him when she realized he wasn't trying to rape her, simply help purge the possibility of her getting hyperthermia and dying. Well great didn't she feel like a fool? She sighed inwardly. Might as well trust him now, seeing as it doesn't seem like he intends to do anything to her. Hopefully she wasn't making a mistake by cuddling up to him for warmth.

Sometimes falling is the inevitable.

It was happening so slowly she hadn't realized it until it was too late. Far, far too late. And now she was stuck. She didn't know if she was supposed to be so okay with that. Shouldn't she be upset or unnerved or panicking, _something_? But she wasn't, she was accepting it, she was okay with it, she honestly couldn't find it in herself to even give a damn. And yeah okay she was kind of worried that he didn't feel the same way. But that was it. Nothing more to it.

And that's what was driving her stir crazy.

But she realized belatedly that there was only one thing she could have done to prevent this and she wouldn't change it now that she thought about it even if she'd had the chance to do so. Because he'd been so warm to curl up to, and he didn't even seem to mind. He just let her. Plus he'd prevented her from catching her death. Now as fate would have it, she trusted him invaluably. She wouldn't think twice about laying down her life for him…

Or trusting him with her heart.

And so she was stuck.

Because after that time at the motel she'd found herself around him a lot more. As if because of that one event they were now intertwined to the max. Like cause and effect or a chain reaction. She was okay with that too, though. And that was simply mind boggling, it made absolutely no sense to her. But that didn't bother her in slightest either. It was like everything that was happening had been the inevitable, that this was _supposed_ to happen.

That she was supposed to give her heart over to a powerful redhead without ever acknowledging such an action until she realized she couldn't and wouldn't take it back.

Sometimes that leap and the fall are worth it all.

Sakura sighed as she watched her favorite redhead bustle about. He could be so obtuse; she wondered if he's even noticed all the attention and affection she's been showering him with lately. Most likely not. The trick would be confessing without being too emotional about it. Because for one, she wasn't a fan of sappy and for two he wasn't big on affection as it was. He did things out of necessity and survival.

That's why he'd saved her.

She'd stuck around because she'd chosen too. Why he'd let her stay though…she honestly didn't know.

Which meant maybe, just maybe she had a chance.

"Sakura" Gaara called over his shoulder and she realized that she'd been staring again. Oops. Stop staring Sakura, you're acting like a love struck teenager, not a respectable twenty-one-year-old kunoichi. And that is most definitely not good. That didn't mean she couldn't help it though.

"Yes, Gaara?"

"You're staring." Great. He noticed. Now what was she supposed to say.

"I, I–" because honestly she couldn't think of anything.

Sighing he turn to face her completely. And slowly, like that time at the hotel, he approached her causing her insides to start acting funny. She'd given up on trying to control or understand them. Ino was the guy expert, not her. And she had yet to say anything to Ino, wanting to try to figure this out for herself. Now she was beginning to regret that. When he was close enough he grabbed both her arms, dragging her close. Suddenly dry mouthed, the rosette couldn't seem to remember how to breathe properly. Only gulp nervously. "Gaara?"

He didn't answer. Instead he leaned down and captured her lips with his.

Sometimes.


	10. Brick Wall: Lessons

**Title:** Lessons

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Completed

**Summary:** Here is some advice: arguing is fun, but running head first into a brick wall hurts. Running into a brick wall may hurt, but it can get a girl her first kiss.

**Theme:** #46 – Brick Wall

**Word Count:** 1,253

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine

**Note:** Sakura's POV

..:Xx0o0xX:..  
**Arguing is fun,**

"You know what?"

"Hn?"

"You should really just shut up."

Gaara and I are arguing. Again. Go figure, we've been battling with each other since we were twelve when he had threatened Sasuke and Naruto.

_Flashback_

_Sasuke was on his ass, leaning backwards and using his hands to keep him up in a some what vertical position. In fact, in the recesses of my mind, I acknowledged that he sort of looked like a crab. He had been pushed down when going face-to-face with Subaku no Gaara._

_Instantaneously, I jumped in front of Sasuke in a protective stance. This threw the red head off guard, because from what I've heard around school, he hasn't ever had any one protect him. So he's like a brick wall: so impenetrable. _

_Still regardless of knowing I was weak physically, he sprung forward, ready to push me aside. And he did, he shoved me right into the tree to my left. It knocked the breath out of me, enraged Naruto, and before I knew it, Naruto and Gaara were trading punches._

_End Flashback_

And thus started our bantering as well. At first it was just remarks on my part, and then he got feed up with it and commented back. From there it escalated to arguments which is were we stand now.

"Why? It's fun getting under your skin." He returned without even glancing at me. He knew by experience that this only makes my more infuriated, so no shocker when I felt my anger rise yet another notch.

**But running head first into a brick wall hurts. **

**Running into a brick wall may hurt,**

"Like I said, just shut up!" I exclaimed, this effectively got him to look my way. Or so I thought. I smirked, but before I could comment, I collided head first with a brick wall.

OW!

I found myself tumbling backwards. Well this is just great, now I'm going to hit my head twice within the time span of half a minute. And knowing me, I'm going to end up with a headache, concussion, and Gaara laughing at me. So I did what anyone that didn't move to catch themselves would do. I shut my eyes tight and waited for the impact.

It didn't come.

I waited a few more seconds. Finally I realized there were arms around me.

Which meant….

I scrambled out of the persons arms, not wanting to acknowledge who had just helped me. I could fell the blood in my cheeks. Great. Now I'm blushing. Can this situation get any worse? I peeked up at the person who had caught me, because I refuse to acknowledge said person by name, and I found him way to close for comfort.

I took a shaky step back, and he took a confident step forward. I took another. Guess what? My back hit the damned brick wall.

Great.

Now I'm stuck between a rock and a hard place.

**But it can get a girl her first kiss.**

He lifted his arm, slowly might I add, and placed his hand at the base of my neck. Apparently it can get worse.

"H-Hey!" I sputtered trying to snap him out of whatever trance he was in. Besides _I'm_ the one who ran into the brick wall, not him. I really hate it when he acts like this.

The first time I had been running to get somewhere and I had tripped, causing me to crash into the sidewalk. Gaara had seen me fall and for one reason or another had rolled me over, pulled me to lean against him, and after brushing off the dirt kissed my kneecap. Seriously! He _kissed_ it! Like I was a child and needed my booboo kissed to feel all better. Afterward I had just sat there until he snapped out of his trance state and abruptly stood and walked away. He didn't even look back or say anything as I feel backwards and my head slammed into the concrete. That really hurt.

These incidents had happened twice more afterward.

So I knew what came next, he was going to kiss my forehead or my nose or some part of my face. The thought set butterflies lose to rampage freely in my stomach and my heart picked up a faster pace.

Did I mention that this is another thing that happens when he touches me as lightly and gingerly as he is now?

I mean his hand is feather light, like he thinks if he allows his hand to simply rest there I'll collapse from the weight. But that's SO not true!

And you know what?

I don't have to sit, or stand in my case, here like some frozen-in-place idiot while he does funny things to my insides. Not if I can give him a dose of his own medicine…

So when he leaned forward, I stopped protesting. He was going to kiss my nose, which if you think about it, makes sense because that's the part of the face that hits to wall first. And my nose does hurt, but it will just have to wait.

I waited for him to get a little closer, and at the last moment jerked my head up.

I'm sure you can guess what happened next, right?

We lip-locked.

And at the touch of his lips on mine, a feeling flooded through me, one that I could place no proper name to. I realized it was the same one I got every time his mouth touched some part of me, only stronger. I also realized that Gaara had stiffened at the contact.

I pulled away, as much as I loved the contact – Wait, did I just say _loved_? Oh no. Does that mean that feeling I got was…love. I bit the inside of my lip.

Oh no.

This won't end well.

I found myself peeking up at his reaction.

He was still frozen in place, and hadn't moved a muscle.

"Um, Gaara?" I asked timidly. What else am I suppose to say?

Then he leaned down and kissed me. What the hell? I couldn't really object though, it felt even better the second time.

Oh God.

What is wrong with me? I started to pull away once more, but he nipped at my lower lip. I waited for a few more seconds and finally he pulled away.

I opened my eyes, not noticing I had even closed them in the first place.

There was a grin on his face as he turned and walked away.

Then something clicked in the back of my mind and I was shouting it before I even figure out what it was, "Hey! That was my first kiss!"

Come on! Can't I go one second without embarrassing myself?

He stopped and looked at back at me with that damned grin still set upon his face. "And that's my problem how?"

Ugh!

I dashed to be in-step with him. A whole new argument started and the kiss forgotten.

Until next time, of course.


	11. Heart Strings: Doll

**Title:** Doll

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Suna-nin were known for their puppet masters. He wasn't one of them, but she was definitely his puppet.

**Theme:** #40 – Heart Strings

**Word Count:** 3,032

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Seven year old Sakura watched with mounting amazement as the crowd passed. The Kazekage had come to Konoha, Mama had told her. She didn't know who that was, but it looked like a parade and more people just kept passing. How many people were there? She wondered again. She'd lost count at twenty-three. Or was it twenty-eight? The rosette didn't know nor did she really care. It was simply so, so…well she couldn't remember that big word she'd read this morning but she knew it meant how she felt. Smiling widely, the child mused if her Mama would let her join in. Surely it wouldn't be a problem and there were so many people gathered no one could possibly notice.

When she saw three children come into her sight she made up her mind. Daddy had taught her to use all her advantages and one of those was her height. Being a child made the young girl half the size of nearly everyone present. This made it easier to dart in and out between people, ducking when she couldn't push her way through and climbing over small objects that didn't even catch her eye. Instead she kept large green eyes on the three kids.

Two boys and one girl. When she looked closer though, she noticed the smallest one with pretty red hair was walking separate from the other two. His head was tilted down and his small fists were clenched. Why? She questioned in her mind. Did he do something bad and his Mama scolded him for it? Further intrigued – oh right! That's the word she'd been looking for! – she moved faster to catch up with him.

After a little more pushing and shoving she managed her way through the front line and scurried to his side. When she fell into place beside him she turned her head and gave the oddly dressed – they all were though, she would ask why later – her biggest smile "Hi, I'm Sakura. What's your name?"

He jerked his head up and startled eyes met hers. They were green too, but lighter and foamier than her own. She liked the color, the only child decided, but not that look. They were so sad and lonely, it hurt her chest for a reason she didn't understand. "Y-you want to know my name?" He sounded so, so…oh darn it, she couldn't remember that word either. Oh well, she'd think of it later.

She giggled and nodded at his painfully shy nature. He reminded Sakura of Naruto, the silly boy had nearly yelped the first time she spoke to him and then he hid behind the nearest thing he could find, poking his head out slightly. She'd laughed then, thinking he wanted to play and chased after him. Boy what fun day that had been. And now she had a bestest best friend because of it. Though not better than Ino. Ino was the best in the whole wide world. "'Course silly! I asked you, didn't I?"

He nodded slowly, still looking baffled and shy. "Yeah. Um, I'm Gaara. Subaku no Gaara." He glanced almost skittishly ahead of him and then to the side at the other two.

She tilted her head curiously. "Why are you walking by yourself?"

Fast as a whip, his messy hair swayed as Gaara returned to looking at her. "I'm not alone. Temari and Kankuro are right there." He gestured to them with his head. But his wide eyes still hadn't looked away from her. It wasn't like the attention Mama and Daddy give her, she felt proud that she had his complete attention. Well, maybe not proud, she didn't know what it was or if there was a word for it, if there wasn't then she'd make one up later. He could help her. And maybe Naruto too.

But for now, she bobbed her head again. "Yes you are. See?" Sakura skirted him to be on his right side instead of left. There was enough space and then some still between her and the other two.

He frowned and his eyes became sadder. Emerald eyes widened immediately as he turned his head back to the ground. "Don't cry! I didn't mean to make you sad." Small hands reached out to him as she panicked. She hadn't meant to, honest! She was just curious. Well that cute Sasuke boy she'd met had said she asked too many questions. She'd wondered what he meant then, now she guessed she knew. But Sakura didn't know questions could make someone sad.

When her hand connected with his shoulder he looked at her again. "I'm not crying." But he was! Not visibly, but, but oh this was confusing! The pink haired girl didn't like this feeling, like she didn't know what to do. Helpless. That's what it was, but she still didn't know how to explain what she was seeing. Like invisible tears. But that didn't make sense, if they were invisible then she wouldn't be able to see them, but she could and… Oh forget it.

Deciding not to point this out because she didn't understand herself and maybe questions weren't the best right now. Mama said there was a time for everything. Now didn't seem question time. It could wait anyway. "Well, no…but you looked like it. I, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you sad. I want to, to make it up to you." It was hard to say what she wanted without asking a question.

He just kept looking at her and then down at her hand, "Will, will you be my friend?" She blinked, surprised at such a simply request. Though she'd thought they were already friends… "I understand if you don't. I, I'm a monster so..." He was shying away again.

Now she frowned. Monster? Naruto had said something like that too when they first met so long ago. But the little blonde boy had said demon, not that she saw a difference. Monster and demon meant the same to her. Still she told Gaara the same thing she had told her other friend, "You're not a monster. You're–"

Suddenly there was a hand on her shoulder pulling her away and surprise had swallowed her words. No! She had gotten to tell him, but no matter how much she fought the hand just kept pulling. It was her Mama's hand she knew. Because it was her voice scolding the young child as Sakura heard her father speaking to someone else, apologizing for her. But she hadn't done anything wrong! She swung to look at Gaara helplessly. He wasn't looking at her though, he had returned to watching the ground.

She couldn't see the tears in half lidded, sea foam green eyes – the visible ones – because the crowd was already blocking her view as she was continually tugged away.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Twelve year old Sakura chased her best friend down the street because he'd been idiotic enough to tick her off again. Love him like a brother or not, there were times when she really wanted to kick his ass. Like now for example. If there was one thing she didn't tolerate, it was people insulting the size of her forehead. Not cool and she simply wouldn't stand for it. Especially not from a long time friend who should know better and is only trying to show off in front of the Hokage's grandson. Thus the chasing.

Though when the Konohamaru slammed straight into a black clad teen who couldn't be more than a year older than her the fury seeped right out of her. He was familiar in a way she couldn't place, but she knew immediately his headband he wasn't from here. He was from Sunagakure no Sato and allied village or no the purple face painted guy and his companion – who was also familiar in the same way the teen was – shouldn't be here. Stopping on a dime she forced her mind to think of why they would possibly be here. Surely not to spy, at least she hoped not. Konoha didn't need more problems no matter how peaceful it proclaimed to be, to others and it's own. They could be traveling through on a mission, but where could they be going that would take them from Suna through Konoha. Unless they returning and stopping here. But it's midday, they still have travel time. Then why?

She was pushed out of her thoughts when the boy spoke. "That hurt you little brat!" And now she knew Naruto, her and the rug rats had something of a dilemma. Call it a gut feeling, but this was going to go south, way south and fast.

"Wait I'm sorry. I was chasing him, I didn't mean to cause you problems sir." She stepped forward hoping he'd hand the small boy over or put him down all together. He didn't. He didn't even acknowledge her, which ruffled her feathers slightly but she didn't act on it for the sake of not getting into something they couldn't get out of.

That didn't work though. Not because she couldn't control her temper. Nope. Because her blonde best friend is a complete and utter moron. Of course. "Hey Cat face! Put Konohamaru down!" Now is not the time to act like the tough hero to the rescue, Naruto. She growled inside her head. Inner shouting her agreement in the form of a loud 'Cha!'. She made a mental note to ground his face into the pavement later, for now she needed to figure a way out of this. Suna-nin were not known for their forgiving nature. They were known for their puppets that were used as weapons.

Somehow one thing lead to another and the teen – Kankuro. She couldn't place where she'd heard the name but knew she had. Not to mention the girl with him, Temari. She'd heard them from the same place she was sure. – had dropped Konohamaru because her precious Sasuke thrown a pebble at his wrist hard enough. She swept aside the 'so cool' she and Inner had shouted at the same time. Because not a few moments later another so much more familiar boy with red hair and dispassionate eyes appeared standing on the underside of a branch across from the one Sasuke was seated on. "Kankuro. Knock it off, you're a disgrace." Even Sasuke looked surprised by his sudden appearance.

He looked so familiar, so achingly recognizable in a memory she couldn't recall. But for one reason or another, she couldn't help but associate the words monster and friend with him. She wanted to know why, and how the two words fit together in her mind with this boy. And when had she met him? Not in a dream, she was sure. She never remembered her dreams, when she did, they were too far crazy in some reality that didn't exist. And she hardly if ever could think of what they were more than an hour after waking. Where had she met him? A large crowd flashed before her eyes for no more than a split second and then an image of the same boy but younger. Seven or so in age and sad, sad eyes, but it was definitely him.

Before she could contemplate the two images she realized both Sasuke and the boy were standing face-to-face and the redhead had just been asked his name. She perked her ears and leaned forward slightly, hoping his name would jog some faded memory that wouldn't leave her be. He was silent for moment, "Subaku no Gaara." He said more but she didn't hear the rest or Sasuke's return, not even Naruto's interruption. The day the Kazekage had come had taken over briefly enough from the first time she'd seen Gaara to when she'd been dragged away, sentence unfinished. Now she knew how the two words fitted with this boy. He thought himself a monster and she thought him a friend. One she'd thought she had lost before she made it. The whole thing had troubled her young mind so that she looked him up and then pushed the experience to the back of her mind once she realized she'd quite possibly never met him again.

So caught up in her own thoughts she didn't see the intense eyes Gaara had pinned her with just before turning away. She did however see Sasuke's inquiring ones and Naruto's confused orbs as he looked between his teammates.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Nineteen year old Sakura looked up from her journal containing those two first encounters and all the rest with Gaara. While unpacking she'd come across the thick green book. Pages and papers stuck out past the cover's edges showing that she'd added and torn out pages as well as so much more. This had gotten her through her life, containing the moments she refused to forget. The ones she wished to treasure. And now that she thought about it, nearly all of them contained Gaara in them. She smiled and laughed softly. It made sense after all.

A large, decidedly masculine hand grasped her shoulder and she could feel the man's body heat as he moved close enough to be touching her lightly. Red hair tickled the sensitive skin of her face. "Tired?" He asked circling his other strong arm around her slender waist.

She shook her head though she did feel the slight fatigue in her bones. Moving boxes around all day through the large house and unpacking them had begun to wear at her energy. Not by much though, she was determined to get their room done. "No just reading. I'd forgotten about this." She waved the closed journal slightly so that he'd know what 'this' is.

"Ah." His thumb started tracing circles on her shoulder and she knew he was waiting for her to continue.

She turned her head to look back at him as she placed the text full book where she found it. "I'd written down all of the memories I never wanted to forget."

He raised an eyebrow and shook his head; she could fill his shoulders shaking and knew he was laughing silently. Pursing her lips she puffed out cheeks in indignation. Her lover was teasing her again! She just knew it. "What?"

Now he let his mirth become audible for a few seconds more before he pinned her with sea foam green eyes. "I simply didn't take you for the dairy type. It paint quite the adorable picture. My I read it?"

Her green eyes widened in horror. It contained a lot of private thoughts, all of them in fact. About him too. Oh dear. She loves the powerful man but there was simply no way she was just going to agree to letting him inside her head. Quickly she shook her head. "I don't think that's a good idea."

He frowned, "Why not?"

She scrambled for a viable reason. "Umm well, this is personal thoughts and all." A blush accented her words "And your in here…" Emerald eyes tried to find somewhere else to look, anywhere but him. That'd just make it so much worse.

Not that she got much of a choice. In typical Gaara fashion, he'd released his arm in favor of her chin tugging until she looked him in the eyes once more. "You don't have anything to be embarrassed about."

She sighed, allowing her eyes to slip closed as the nearly twenty year old feel back into him. It had been a long time since she stopped trying understand how he could induce so many emotions in so little time or how he could just easily soothe everything. She couldn't stay mad it him for more than two minutes, but she could banter till no tomorrow with him. It made absolutely no sense at all. But neither did love, so she supposed she'd just accept it and make the most of it while she could. One never knew what would come next especially not in the life of a Kage and his medic. "I know. I can't help it though."

Chuckling once more, he leaned forward and captured her lips. She readily kissed back with a passion that bubbled whenever she even so much as saw or thought of the love of her life. "I love you, Gaara. And you can read it whenever you wish." She murmured against his lips. Did he always have to win? Honestly he always got his way.

"I love you too, my wife." He answered with just as much conviction.

She giggled as his breath tickled her lips and pulled away slightly. Her arms had found there way around his neck even though she was still twisted at an angle, box in her lap and facing the man behind her. "You know, I think you should help me with this so that it can get done faster."

"Do you now?" He watched her with half lidded amused eyes.

She nodded eagerly with a mischievous grin that she was trying – and failing – to make as look as innocent as possible. "Yep, I want to go to bed with my gorgeous husband." The rosette couldn't help herself, she batted her eyelashes in an effort to look seductive so that he'd agree. The smile wouldn't have worked anyway.

He hummed but didn't object. He knew his mate too well to know that smile was anything but innocent. "I suppose I will. I wouldn't want to keep you from sleep." He obviously had the same thing in mind as well and that would definitely keep her from sleep.

"Lair." She accused teasingly.

He simply watched her with warm laughing eyes. And this time, unlike the times she'd just read in her journal, she returned his gaze.


	12. Dreams: Chasing Fireflies

**Title:** Chasing Fireflies

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Subaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** Small chubby hands reached for neon green lights. "What are dreams?" "Lives created by fireflies."

**Theme:** #18 – Dreams

**Word Count:** 2,725

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** Sakura's POV.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

At the time, I was barely more than five years old.

Back then I asked too many questions, but almost always had a 'why' tacked on to just about everything. Once answered, I'd ask at most two more times and that was only after a while when the subject came back up and I had forgotten what I'd been told. I wasn't a genius nor did I have a photographic memory. Just a really fast mind that could store a lot before it started forgetting, and as years went by the capacity got larger.

One of my favorite subjects was fireflies. I didn't like any other insect, not even butterflies no matter how much my mother tried, I simply wouldn't hear of it. True on the surface they weren't as pretty as butterflies or dragonflies. But in the dark they were the little lights lighting up my world.

In truth, back then I had been terrified of the dark. Mama and Papa tried everything to get me out of the phase and in the end gave up.

Then I saw fireflies.

I had meandered again, but this time it was at a festival. I hadn't really been paying attention to my parents, they were mingling and I was a child still not interested in the idea of 'etiquette' and staying in the folds of my mother's clothing. When little green lights caught my own green eyes I couldn't help but go to them, curious and wanting to know the sources of it. Never mind that neither parent had noticed or that it was dark and I was terrified of it. The lights had been pretty as they twinkled and moved, all I could think of at the time was 'fairy tales _are_ true'. The evidence was right in front of me as far as I was concerned.

And so wondering what they were – pixies maybe? No, too mystical. Elves? Again that didn't seem quiet right. Fairies! – I scurried towards them on small legs, fighting with the kimono that continually threatened to trip me up along the way.

Imagine my disappointment when I got there and there were no fairy people. Maybe they were hiding? So in typical child fashion, I ventured into the under brush of the forest, after all it was trees that scared me. I loved trees and getting lost didn't mean a thing to me then nor would it until I was exhausted and wanting to go back. But that would most likely come later, now I just wanted to find the fey people. To play and have fun really, maybe they'd make me their princess and I'd always come see them. I followed the twinkling lights; certain they were leading me; that they wanted me to come play.

And as proof the more I followed the more there were, I was getting close I just knew it, so on I toddled. Further into the belly of the forest, not really thinking about if my parents had noticed that I was gone quiet yet. I could find my way back if I really needed to, but the magical people would guide me back because they wouldn't want anything to happen to me. So it really wasn't a problem, though Papa and Mama might be a little panicked, they were worrywarts that way.

The little green fires led me to a clearing devoid of human life and didn't appear to have been touched by it either. I could hear all the sounds of nature's forest night life but didn't really bother with it. Instead I just stared at the scene before me in utter awe.

It was a large tree, at least it was when compared to the others around; it didn't tower but certainly was thicker, wider than the others. Like nearly all the fairy tales that had forest people went. It wasn't the same though because it wasn't taller. But it glowed and that more than made up for it. Not like a holy white light, more like a neon green one. Like the floating fires that had beckoned me to follow them.

Excitement swelled and became paramount in my emotions. This time I didn't move forward slowly, looking about at the little lights around me. This time I dashed as quickly as I could. I'd found them! I couldn't wait to the meet them, and for Mama and Papa to meet them too. Oh, how wonderful that would be.

When I got to the base of the tree though, there was no door. Not to be put off, I rapped me little fist on the wood, wondering if there was a secret passage so the bad people couldn't get in. All I had to do was tell them I wasn't one. "Let me in please? I just wanna play."

Silence.

I waited some more, perhaps they were trying to get to the door. So I rocked back and forth on me feet trying to be patient. Mama said good things come to those who wait.

Silence.

Perhaps I should count? That would pass the time and it wouldn't take them that long to answer, would it? One one thousand. Two one thousand. Three one thousand. Four one thousand. Five one thousand.

Silence.

Maybe they were busy? Six one thousand. Seven one thousand. Eight one thousand. Nine one thousand. Ten one thousand.

Oh! What if they didn't know I was a friend? For all they knew I could be evil pretending to be good like the big bad wolf. "I'm not a bad person, I promise. I really just wanna play. Mama says magical people aren't real, but your home is glowing. And besides, you guys led me here. Please open up."

Silence.

My smile dropped then and my shoulders drooped. Maybe they didn't believe me. Disappointment stole my excitement away and I couldn't help but start sniffling as my nose stung and tears bubbled forth. When they feel down in big fat drops I reached up trying to rub them away with heels and backs of my palms.

"Please open up." I repeated pleadingly, the tears and shakiness that had cropped it caused my voice to wobble and my breathing to become louder. Why were they being so mean? It wasn't fair.

The tears kept falling, reddening my face and making my eyes puffy. I just wanted to play, what was so wrong with that?

"Why are you crying?" The new voice startled me and for a second I thought they really had been hurrying and that I just hadn't waited long enough. Then I realized it had come from behind me, but I didn't know the voice.

I stilled, remembering what Mama and Papa had said about bad people wanting to hurt innocent little kids like me. I turned slowly, peeking over my shoulder as I did so. It was another kid! Certainly the little boy across the clearing wasn't a threat. Though, my parents also said it was better to be safe then sorry.

Resolve and solution quickly found I asked shakily "Are you a bad person?"

The boy with dark red hair turned from confused to sad then. Surprised I hurried to add, "I didn't mean to make you sad I just wanted make sure. You don't seem bad to me."

Now he looked surprised too, like no one had ever said anything nice to him. Later, I'd learn they were a lot of people in this cruel world like that, but then it seemed inconceivable. "I'm…people said I was a monster…but I'm not bad, I promise!"

I smiled. "You're not a monster, silly. You can't be because you're human." How black and white my childhood had been and for that I'm always thankful. His eyes widened but I wasn't done yet, "And if you say you're not bad then you're not bad."

Sea foam green eyes darkened by the night became wider than I thought physically possible, then tears welled in his eyes too. Which in turn made my green eyes widen with worry. I hadn't meant to make him cry! Honest, I hadn't. But when I reviewed the words in my head I couldn't find fault in them. Had no one really been nice to him? That was my first lesson that people could be absolutely horrible to each other. Before I could do anything though he reached up and touched his cheek where a tear had left a trail on its way down. Pulling the hand back he looked at as if it was foreign and I struggled to understand the complications of such an action.

I did later on, when I met Naruto and had much the same conversation. My heart had ached for the both of them then, it still does.

But I didn't now so I stumbled forward on steadily strengthening legs until I was in front of him. I was slightly taller but only by an inch at most. I leaned forward slightly, childish innocence forbidding just how wrong being so close to a boy was, that would come later too. "I was crying because the fairies wouldn't answer me. Why are you crying?"

He met my eyes then, tilting his head in a cute way that almost made me squeal. "Fairies?" He didn't know what fairies were? Certainly his Mama had read stories to him at bedtime about them. It was unthinkable that someone didn't know about the fairy tales.

I nodded, eager to tell him all the stories that I had memorized. "Uh-huh. You know, like from fairy tales."

"What are…'fairy tales'?"

I double blinked; apparently I had more work t do than I had originally thought. But that was alright. "If you tell me your name and promise to listen I'll tell you!" I was already leading him by the wrist to the base of the big glowing tree. The thought of them not answering dampened my spirits slightly before a final explanation came to mind. Maybe no one was home. Encouraged by the thought my spirits rose once more, higher than before. At the base of the tree I sat down, back against the bark and after a moment of hesitation he sat down too.

"My name's Gaara and I'd like that."

A grin split across my face. "Mine's Sakura. And I guess I'll start with the fairy tales for fairies. They're my favorite."

..:Xx0o0xX:..

We stayed there for hours me telling stories, him listening. And us becoming the best of friends.

Neither one of us remembered that we were supposed to be with our parents or that the festival was drawing to a close. Not until I heard my Mama's voice. It had come just as I'd finished the story. I wasn't done completely; we'd gotten way off track more than once.

I perked up, turning to the sound.

"SAKURA!"

And that was Papa's voice; I could recognize the boom of it anywhere.

Joy still not spent I called back: "Over here! Next to the Fairy Tree!" I turned to him then, he was blinking and rubbing his ear. Oops. I smiled sheepishly. "Sorry."

He shook his head. "That's alright. Warn me next time though."

I heard twin footsteps growing louder and knew my mother and father were close.

I nodded, "Okay. And uh, those voices were my parents. Do you want to meet them?"

He watched me for a long moment, suddenly looking terrified. "They aren't mean are they?"

Startled I shook my head, "No! They're nice. Honest."

"Sakura!" It was Mama again but this time she was across the clearing.

"Okay." He whispered back even as I was swept into my father's strong arms, Mama beside him.

"Oh Sakura, don't wander off like that ever again. I was worried!"

Right, I forgot about that. "But Mama, I'm alright. And I made a friend." I pleaded, trying to get her to see things my way. Papa took notice of the small boy who was still sitting in the same place looking smaller than he had moments before. I was handed off as he bent down to be eye level with Gaara. He cast my mother a look that I didn't quiet catch before focusing on the small boy before him.

"What's your name, kiddo?"

"Gaara." My friend answered tentatively.

"Don't be scared Gaara. Papa's nice, really." Three pairs of eyes looked at me. Mama with a warm smile and Papa with surprise. Gaara's though, held appreciation.

"Your father's looking for you Gaara." My father told him and when he didn't say anything about Gaara's mama a sinking feeling welled in my chest. Didn't my new best friend have a mama? Everyone has a Mama and Papa, why doesn't he?

Green eyes look at his feet and he nodded, "I know."

Papa watched him for a moment more. "If he agrees, then you can stay with us for the night." The statement was directed at me and Mama's arms squeezed me though I didn't look to met her eyes.

Startled eyes jerked up to meet my father's. I squeaked, "Really, Papa. Oh I hope your papa says yes, Gaara."

He looked at me and nodded solemnly "Me too, Sakura."

I smiled encouragingly back. Then I paused. "Mama?"

"Yes dear?"

"Why didn't the fairies answer me?"

She blinked confusedly, "Fairies?"

I pointed at the still neon green tree. "Yeah, the fairies."

She followed my finger then giggled slightly, "Sakura, those aren't fairies. They're fireflies." The implications of it me fast and hard. There never were any fairies there, but maybe they were elsewhere. Or maybe the fireflies had pacts with the fairies like if the fey people kept their home a secret then they would be able to look like little lights in the night sky. But those were theories best left for later when Mama couldn't refute them with logic.

"Oh." I let my hand drop even as Gaara turned slight and reached his hand out to the bark. It created the image of small chubby hands reaching for neon green lights.

"Fireflies?" He asked. I had heard about them but before I could explain Mama gave me a look that told me to hush. Oh well, she'd always been great at explaining things, Papa even said I get it from her.

"Do you know what dreams are, Gaara?" Her voice was soft; this was her story telling voice at the beginning of a story.

He frowned then and shook his head. "What are dreams?"

"Lives created by fireflies."

That was how I'd gotten over my fear of the dark. And in the process I gained a friend who would later become steadily more precious to me as he went from best friend to boyfriend to husband.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Two winged fey people watched the scene before them. They were a husband and wife who'd been watching as the little girl had called out. They had wanted to answer but they were folk lore for a reason. Still it had hurt to watch the little girl look more and more like a kicked puppy so they had guided the little boy to the clearing, the aura coming off of him a perfect fit for the girl child.

And with smiles they watched the two converse and watched them laugh and respond to each other with such sparkling, positive energy. They knew they would be close for a long time to come and maybe in their next lives they would be fairies too.

So the couple watched as years passed and the two grew closer and closer every time they met under the watchful eye of the Great Tree of Beginnings and even held their wedding in the clearing. Yes, they would definitely be people of magic because even as the got older, neither stopped believing – not in fairies, not in fireflies and most certainly not in dreams – standing beside each other all the while.


	13. Silk Kimono: Political Event

**Title:** Political Event

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Sabaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** She'd kill Ino one day, Sakura vowed to herself when she found herself at a police event. Naruto and Sasuke had goaded her into that. No, it was how she looked that screamed Ino.

**Theme:** 50 Shinobi LJ challenge (#39 – Silk Kimono)

**Word Count:** 3,145

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Note:** This is an odd thing to be asking now, but is it Subaku no Gaara or Sabaku no Gaara? I've always seen it as Subaku but I've recently seen it as Sabaku. I'd appreciate it if somebody told me. Also, though this is set in modern times, I decided to still use terms such as Kage because I am using the shinobi nations. I've merely turned the shinobi into police or given them respective jobs.

**Edited on:** October 10, 2011

* * *

Sakura shifted her skirts again as she moved. She hated this dress. Absolutely abhorred it but according to Ino it made her look like an old era Japanese princess. The blonde haired woman seemed to have penchant for dressing her up in clothing from times long passed, not that the rosette could ever figure out why and her sister's only reason was that it suited her. Like the last time when Sakura was dressed up in what the princess of England would have looked like so long ago, now she found herself dressed in something a Japanese Empress or princess would have worn. Why did Ino feel the need to dress her up like a princess of every sort? And when she couldn't dress her like a princess, she found some really old style or an exotic one. It was beginning to get on her nerves.

Oh right, it was because the other woman thought the fashion suited her. At least, that's what she said. Sakura knew the real reason was because she was twenty-one and still single. Sure, she'd at the very least kissed a few guys, but she'd never really dated before. And Ino was the queen of relationships: always in one and always trying to play matchmaker. And Sakura? Being the Yamanaka's best friend since childhood meant she was a prime target. Always. So she was used to it, she'd accepted it, but it still irritated her to no end.

How'd she even get talked into wearing this particular outfit? It was beautiful yes, but it was heavy and uncomfortable and had taken a millennia to put on properly. But here she was at some police event that her self-proclaimed brothers had talked her into and when Ino found out had insisted in dressing her up this way.

"What better way to come to a police hosted event, then as a princess from medieval Japan?" Ino had said in that 'duh' tone of hers.

Sakura's reply to that after she'd been dressed in the outfit was that she was pretty sure the kimono was still around in modern day. This dryly delivered comment had been dismissed with a wave of the blonde's hand as she focused on applying all the finishing touches. Said finishing touches had taken half an hour. By the time the green eyed 'princess' was finished being dolled up, she came unsteadily to her feet. And then Sakura had proceeded to complain the entire way to their destination, which didn't really get the young woman anywhere because all complaints were ignored or rebutted.

All the rosette had wanted was a peaceful day off, topped with a cozy night curled on the couch with some coffee and a good book.

She huffed softly, doing her best to keep out of everyone's way and draw as little attention as possible. And surprisingly she was doing a pretty good job of both considering her attire and hair color. After she was out of high school most didn't say anything about her hair color and though odd it was a pretty nice thing to get use to.

Well she had been doing a good job of it, but she'd jinxed herself by thinking about it because right then she managed to bump into someone.

"Sorry." She mumbled and then remembering she hadn't accidently brushed shoulders with someone on the street she straightened up a little and spoke clearly, "I'm sorry."

She found foam green eyes staring back at her, a nonexistent eyebrow raised, "I heard you the first time."

Sakura felt her face heat up as she bobbed her head, mind scrambling for a quick escape. She tried to smile – it came out slightly nervous, at least it felt that way – and backed up a step. Only to bump into someone else.

Great. She really had jinxed herself.

"Sorry." She told the waitress who merely smiled and stated it that it was alright. Thankfully it was someone the Haruno knew and therefore wouldn't be rude about it. Glad for the fortune she nodded in turn and took a step forward careful this time to make sure she wouldn't be colliding with anyone while performing the action.

When she looked in front of her, the man was still watching her, an amused glint in his eyes along with a barely there smirk.

She tried not to groan. "Err, is there something I forgot to say?"

His eyes watched her like a predator would watch its prey, the feeling made her shiver. Finally he leaned forward a little, arms still crossed over his chest like they had been when she ran into him. "It's not very becoming for a princess to make such noises." She could only blink at his quite statement and his eyes showed even more amusement. "You're not very fitting for the attire you wear."

It took her a moment to regain her bearings in this bizarre situation. "Perhaps, I am fitting for the attire I wear but simply choose not to show it."

What was she doing? She hated word games and the like. She was sucked into enough of them by Sasuke's elder brother, Itachi. She lost every time, but losing to her heart's brother's brother was different from losing to a complete stranger and she didn't want to chance the humiliation and embarrassment of it.

He nodded still looking as regal as ever. She found guys like this ticked her off until she got to know them better. Sasuke, Itachi, Neji, they'd all been the same until she'd dug beneath the surface. Which that in itself took quite a long time to happen. Suddenly, she found herself wondering what was under this noble, stiff exterior of his. She knew she shouldn't have been, it would probably be the death of her, but now that she was curious there was no way she was just going to walk away.

She held a black gloved hand out, "Haruno, Sakura. Pleased to meet you."

Again he seemed to analyze her for a moment. Though it wasn't as long this time it still made her want to squirm slightly. She fought the urge and forced herself to stay completely still. Finally he unfolded his arms, on falling to his side the other reaching out to grab hers. He had long slender fingers and pale skin, his grasp was firm but light. They say a handshake is a good way to learn a lot about someone. If that was right then his meant he was strong and sturdy in more than the physical sense, but he also knew how to approach things delicately when he saw the need. "Sabaku no Gaara."

When she pulled back, her hand felt slightly colder. She realized then that it wasn't because the room had gotten colder but that his hands were warm enough to heat her own up through the silky gloves but not enough for her to notice the difference. Or maybe she'd been so distracted it didn't even register consciously.

"Are you here with a date?" She asked when he still didn't chart a new course through the room.

He shook his head, "I'm from Suna."

She nodded, feeling even further intrigued though she decided it was probably best not to ask for more detail about him until they got to know each other a bit better. Or at least got into the conversation a little more, "My brothers drag me to these events. I haven't the slightest clue why, considering I don't particularly like them."

Again he raised the nonexistent eyebrow, "Really?"

"Yeah, I'm a doctor at the Konoha General Hospital, but I used to be an escort for my teacher to events like these. I guess that's why I still come when I'm invited."

He nodded his understanding and, turning to the side he beckoned her to follow.

She raised a delicate pink eyebrow of her own at this, "Don't like staying in one place for long?"

Again he shook his head, "I'm the leader of Suna, there isn't anywhere in the world that's truly safe."

Her already big green eyes widened and her steps faltered slightly, "You're the Kazekage?"

Green eyes shades lighter than her own glanced back at her, "Is that a problem?"

Immediately she shook her head, her braided hair moving in waves with the motion. "No, I was just surprised is all. I figured that someone that important would introduce themselves with a title or something."

"And what about you? Your teacher is Senju Tsunade the current Hokage."

Her cheeks pinked again as she nodded, "True, but it's not like I'll be taking over the position or anything. I'm just a doctor."

"A renowned doctor." He corrected.

She conceded to that but before she could say anything, "And your 'brothers' are Uzumaki Naruto and Uchiha Sasuke, are they not?"

She was baffled to say the least, not to mention the fact that she was starting to feel a little defensive and wary. "How do you know so much about me?"

"I'm the Kazekage." Gaara reminded her, "If I don't have some knowledge about important people from other countries, be they allies or foes, then I wouldn't be doing a very good job."

She still felt slightly wary, no matter what his reason was but she pushed her cautiousness away. She was a doctor, what reason could a Kazekage possibly have for harming her in her own home? When she thought of that way, her wariness seemed unwarranted, and so she relaxed and continued to walk with him through the crowd. She wondered though, if he had a specific destination in mind. When she and her boys had been in college, she would frequently come here – the police department – when she wanted to get away from them for any amount of time. All the way until the point when Itachi had ratted her out in one of their games.

"Are we going anywhere in particular, or just walking?"

Again he glanced at her, "Just walking."

She nodded and they both lapsed back into silence. She kept quiyt about the fact that the choice of shoes Ino had forced her into were beginning to kill her. As she told her patients though, if one didn't think about the pain – as long as it was minor enough – then one could also forget it was there. And to distract her mind, conversation seemed really ideal right now, "Do you have any siblings?"

He nodded, "They are my advisors, Temari and Kankuro."

Though, conversation could be more than a small challenge when it was with an antisocial stranger. Well, she supposed he could be considered an acquaintance now. Thankfully she'd spent enough time with antisocial guys to figure out how to talk enough for the both of them.

"Do you have guards?"

His answer was immediate, "Of course."

"Are they in this room?" She hadn't seen a single person looking like they were keeping tabs on him and someone as important as him was sure to at least have a group that accompanied him everywhere. So where were they?

"They wouldn't be very good guards if at least two of them didn't have sight of me at all times."

She conceded to that point, looking around in small glances. 'Looking without looking,' as Naruto had named it when he'd first noticed her doing it. That had taken a while, long after they were all in college in fact. He'd asked her where she'd learned it considering she was training to be a medic, not a field agent. Before she could answer him, Sasuke had cut in saying that it was a girl thing, all girls could innately do it. And from then on the two tended to use her for it every now and again. It had made her very good at it, though with as much time as she spent with the two all she needed was a badge and she could pass for a decent police officer. But she couldn't find anyone who looked like a guard.

"Two are at each door, another is at the food table, three more are at the dance floor, two are a little ways behind us and two are a little ways in front of us." He informed her, apparently she'd been caught looking.

She blinked and nodded, looking for all ten. Each one was exactly where he said they were. "Wow, that's more than two sets of eyes at all times."

He didn't respond. And so they were back to silence and she found her feet felt even worse. If she didn't say something, her feet were going fall off. "Can we stop a moment?"

He looked at her this time before coming to a halt. She stopped beside him, grateful that he had listened without asking for a reason. "Sorry–"

"No need to apologize, you clearly aren't the type to wear those kind of shoes." The redhead herded her towards a chair, sitting down only when she was seated.

Again she found herself baffled. How had he known that they were bothering her? Still she just gave him a smile, "My sister insisted that I wear all of this, including the shoes." She wrinkled her nose slightly, "Personally I don't see how it matters since the dress covers the footwear anyway." She fought the urge to reach down and soothe her foot, it wasn't very proper to do something like that in front of the Kazekage.

Speaking of which, it amazed her that he was still sticking around. She couldn't help but wonder why, and then decided that would be a question best left for later if he was still with her at the end of the night.

* * *

And he was. Gaara stuck around the whole night and though he didn't speak much she had found out quite a bit about the man. As the night had worn on though, it had been a chore to remind herself not to get too friendly, she knew instinctively that he wouldn't like personal contact from her. Sure, he didn't seem to mind her talkativeness or her bright personality in general but that still didn't mean she would tempt fate with personal contact. He was fast becoming someone she found she liked, which was more than she could say about how long it'd taken to get close to all the other quiet guys in her life. He was easy to talk to, no matter what the topic was. By the end of the night she was sure he knew a good portion of her life's story, but she couldn't find it in her to be the least bit embarrassed.

They had found some seats to sit in an hour ago. After they'd first sat down because of her feet, which had forced her to ask for breaks periodically, they'd wandered through nearly the entire guest space of the department. She didn't think she'd ever walked so much in one night, or even a week in her whole life. Thankfully he'd been more than a little mindful of her.

As people began to leave for their homes or other destinations, she wondered when he would be leaving. She knew she was stuck until she found one of her family members again, which meant it could possibly be a while. "Do you have to leave soon?"

He seemed to think about it a moment. "No, I don't have any business to attend to until tomorrow afternoon."

She smiled brightly; maybe he would stay with her until she left. As soon as she'd thought of that though she pushed it away, reminding herself that though he'd humored her most of the night, there was no reason he would stay even after the event was over. And it would be over within the next half hour. The thought of losing his company saddened her a little; she would probably never see him again. "I actually meant, do you have to leave Konoha soon."

"I will be leaving in three days time."

And he would be busy the entire while. She stamped out the urge to ask if he would have any time to spare and if they could do something together before he left. "Will you be back anytime soon?"

He paused then, "I'm not sure, perhaps if I'm invited again."

She nodded, "I see. Maybe we'll run into each other again."

He raised an eyebrow and she saw a glint of deviousness in those eyes as she had a few times that evening. "Not literally, I hope."

She laughed, "No, hopefully not." She couldn't help but realize that she liked that amused and devious look in his eyes right then. And his smirk too, she usually hated those, but she liked his.

She folded her hands in her lap; the silence that set in was a comfortable one that she saw no need to break right away. She watched people as they said their goodbyes or did some last minute mingling.

"You have tomorrow off correct?"

She nodded, turning to him with a curious look. Their respective work hours was one of the many topics they'd covered. "That's right, may I ask why?"

He didn't hesitate, "As I said, I don't have any official business to attend to until tomorrow afternoon."

She blinked, confused. Why would he bring that back up? And then it clicked. He wanted to spend more time with her. She felt the smile split her face, boarding on a grin. "I'd love to, have you ever had a tour of Konoha?"

Something in his eyes seemed to change and she caught a glimpse of relief as he shook his head, "Not a very detailed one."

She smiled, "Then as a life long resident, I would be honored to give you one."


	14. Cathedral: Wedding

**Title:** Wedding

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** SymphoniaFreak

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Sabaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** "Did you know cathedral is derived from the word seat?" "Sakura, you're the one who wanted to go." "Well, you were going to be gone a while." "It's a wedding." "In a seat." "Sakura."

**Theme:** 50 Shinobi LJ challenge (#22 – Cathedral)

**Word Count:** 1,035

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

**Edited on:** November 6, 2011

* * *

When she got the news, all she could do was scream and jump around because her best friend was getting _married_. And to the young Haruno's brother, no less. There was just no way not to be overjoyed and Sakura knew that if she felt that way, then Ino must have been overwhelmed. But then again, it was Ino and it seemed like the blonde could handle anything, including her husband-to-be, Sasuke. Everyone in their group had seen this coming because the two made the cutest couple on the planet, at least in Sakura's opinion.

But then again there was Naruto and Hinata who were just adorable no matter what. They had gotten married just after high school though, so each year that they were together was just proof that soul mates did exist, could be found and lifelong happiness could be achieved.

And then there was her and her spouse. She loved him dearly; there was nothing that could ever change that, not in a million years. But the only draw back was that he was an important political figure and always seemed to be away on business, which left her with their house to herself most days of the week and sometimes most weeks of the month. But she was content with the knowledge that he was home more than he was away.

If only his career's timing didn't suck so much.

When Sakura had agreed to start helping with the wedding preparations because it would be in a mere seven weeks, she'd done so mostly in the time that her honey was away. Surprisingly, Ino hadn't been one of those horridly picky brides and so the whole thing had gone fairly smoothly.

Except one thing.

Ino refuse to budge on the place of marriage. She didn't grow up in an overly religious family or the like, but there was a cathedral that her mother had been apart of at one point. The staff there had been like a second family to the blonde with how many hours of her childhood she spent there and it was still her most favorite place in the world. Sakura couldn't fault her though, not with that kind of connection to the neoclassical era building that was absolutely breathtaking in its gothic styled glory.

Sasuke hadn't been too keen on the idea, but Ino had refused to budge and so the raven haired man had eventually agreed.

From there, the whole thing seemed to go as smoothly as possible. Naruto was going to be Sasuke's best man and Sakura would be Ino's maid of honor.

And then a week prior to the date of the wedding Sakura learned that Gaara would be out of the city. She was used to business whisking him away every so often, but she'd wanted him there with her at her best friends' wedding. True, it had been out of selfish intentions, but she was going to a wedding in a cathedral by herself.

Still, she'd merely sighed and nodded. Then kissed him and asked how long he would be gone. To which he replied with a casual three weeks.

Which was why, two days prior to the wedding, she was trying to find something to busy herself with for three weeks. She sifted between sites about local classes, but most of the ones she'd found were either too long, too schedule consuming or not interesting enough. Sighing to herself, she clicked on the page she had originally wanted to read. It was about cathedrals and where they came from.

Two obviously male hands settled themselves on her shoulder from behind. She didn't even pause as she kept reading the article off of the computer screen. "Did you know cathedral is derived from the word seat?"

"Sakura, you're the one who wanted to go." The hands tightened ever so slightly and she could smell the scent of him – it was the smell of wetted soil and boy did she love it; she could never seem to get enough of the smell – as he leaned down to hover over her.

"Well, you were going to be gone a while." Her tone was absent and she almost cursed herself for the giveaway.

"It's a wedding." Then the hands were gone completely as he rounded the chair to get in her line of sight and block out the computer screen.

"In a seat." It was the only thing she could think of.

"Sakura." She knew that tone. It was the 'you know I can't just decline going somewhere, even if it is three weeks you should be mature about it' tone. The one that made her feel like a chastened child who'd just been caught misbehaving.

So she tried to change tactics. Making her green eyes as puppyish as she could and jutting out her lower lip she responded with a simple, "Gaara."

He closed his sea foam green eyes for only a moment before he took the computer from her. Scooting the chair back, he placed his hands on her hips and leaned down once more. This time it was to kiss her.

It was pure reflex to immediately kiss him back.

After a long moment that seemed too quick, he pulled back a mere centimeter or two and looked her straight in the eye. "I will make it up to you."

Her eyes flickered to the direction of the hall where their bedroom was located and then back to his heated eyes. "Now?"

They seemed to darken as he pulled her up to her feet and then hoisted her body onto his person. A smile split her face in two and she kissed him again as he started for the hall.


	15. Training: Diplomatic Behavior

**Title:** Diplomatic Behavior

**Author:** AppleL0V3R

**Beta-reader:** Terror-Of-The-Crimson-Night

**Fandom:** Naruto

**Pairing:** Sabaku no Gaara and Haruno, Sakura

**Rating:** T

**Type:** One-shot – Complete

**Summary:** This had proved it. Sakura simply was not made out for diplomatic behavior. She'd have to learn to control it if she wanted to continue to be his escort to these events.

**Theme:** 50 Shinobi LJ challenge (#37 – Training)

**Word Count:** 3,055

**Disclaimer:** If you've heard of it before, then it's obviously not mine.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

What the hell was she doing here? Really, she is a Konoha kunoichi, so ambassador or not, why in the world was she the escort of the Kazekage. As in the leader of Suna, Kazekage. It's not that she had any problems with Gaara himself, no, in fact she liked the guy – as much as someone of her personality could like someone as hard assed as him at any rate – but that didn't mean she wanted to escort him to all these fancy things. Once had been surprising, twice had been disconcerting and now thrice was a bit over board. Couldn't he use somebody from his own village for such things? Her Shishou most certainly did and she was sure that any one of Gaara's advisors would love to.

So why her?

It wasn't for looks; Sakura didn't have the body made for showing off. It wasn't for skill; she was an ambassador, not a diplomat and for good reason. And it wasn't for company; Gaara was the anti-social kind who preferred she just shut up.

And thus her confusion.

Part of her figured that she should just bring it up with the redhead so the whole thing could be laid to rest, but she knew that no matter how much she tried, Sakura was no made for delicate. And she didn't want to seem insensitive or ungrateful, that could have a negative effect not only on her career as an ambassador, but on the relation between Konoha and Suna as a whole. That wasn't something she could afford, so she had yet to bring the subject up with him. Not even subtly, she knew that she had no talent for it and did not need that backfiring on her either. Which ultimately left her with just leaving the whole thing alone.

She tried not to tap her heeled foot impatiently and refrained from checking the time by the clock on the wall. Gaara was not the type of person to be late. For anything. So where the hell was the insufferable guy? She let her green eyes skitter across the landscape once more only to be met with the familiar trees that she saw every time she was at the village gates, getting ready to leave. Ever since the Kazekage had started using her as his escort for all things political she'd gotten used to the sight.

Covered in a traditional kimono and her feet in the same high heels her Shishou wore, she waited for the redhead to arrive. The event itself wouldn't be until the next night, but it would be unseemly for him to simply walk into an event after having traveled the three-day-minimum distance between Suna and Konoha and only have her meet him at the gates.

But here she was, leaning against the large wooden doors of her home with no Wind Shadow in sight. How irritating.

After another fifteen minutes passed she was about ready to through her hands in the air and head back inside the village gates and let the guy fend for himself. But the healer side of her kicked up, wondering if he was okay. After all, Gaara was never late, he was punctual all the time, so the idea that he would be even five minutes late, let alone more than fifteen, had her wondering if something had happened. Like the possibility that he had run into trouble on the way over or he had caught some kind of sickness that was keeping him in bed.

Not so pretty pictures fluttered through her mind and she had to push them away before she did something stupid. Sure it was possible that he'd gotten hurt or bedridden, but it was also possible that he'd been held up by his council or something of the like. Even if he did meet problems of the harmful variety, Gaara was no pushover, he only had an escort for the picture it presented, not because he actually needed it. As was such with kages, all five were strong and had earned their position after all.

Still, she couldn't seem to shake her unease.

So she opted for a different way to settle it, finding the guy. It shouldn't be that hard since there was one route that he tended to like to take and that was by the main road. Sakura sighed quietly before pushing off of the gateway with her shoulders and started on heeled feet down the large dirt road.

She'd come across him eventually, she knew, hopefully sooner rather than later.

..:Xx0o0xX:..

Gaara refused to sigh, it was not becoming for him to do so no matter how much he wanted to. But he did settle for rubbing his temples in an attempt to banish the building headache his council had managed to induce. They all knew there was an even in Konoha he had been invited to and they knew he'd already sent ahead that he would go. That wasn't their problem though; their problem seemed to be that they didn't like his choice in escorts.

For the past hour, they had successfully managed to delay him with their insistence that he should pick someone from Suna instead of the one he usually had. They had used the reasoning that Sakura was from Konoha and not even in a place of any real political power. This had earned them all a cool stare because they knew she was one of the best ambassadors in a long time from her village. She was adept at soothing tensions and making compromises that all parties could agree to when the need arose and she had healthy respect for all those higher than her and an a camaraderie temperament for those at her level and a motherly-teacher sort of approach to those younger than her.

Haruno, Sakura was really good at what she did. And on top of that she was the Hokage's former student and that meant she mattered to Leaf Village, so the fact that she was willingly his escort to each event he attended in said village should that there was a strong relation, one he was not willing to jeopardize just because his council didn't like the fact that she was a kunoichi and because she was not of notable decent.

So not for the first time that evening, he commanded their silence, "Haruno is and always will be my escort."

"She has no experience at being a good escort." One of his advisors through back.

He frowned, this was another one that they liked to use. While the rosette could indeed get things done as far as being an ambassador went, she wasn't as good at anything political. The young woman could not for the life of her, seem to remember the difference between foreign policy and diplomatic behavior. They were not one in the same and he was constantly having to remind her on each of their outings. But it was small things, ones that were always overlooked and really anyone but him even noticed.

It was one of the things that had intended to rectify really soon if she didn't figure it out for herself.

"She was not raised in courts, but she has not offended anyone nor are her mistakes blatant. She will correct it on her own. Are there any other objections?" Sea foam eyes turned from one face to the next, daring them to say anything more on the subject.

They did not.

He nodded, more to himself than to them, "Good. Then I will return before the end of the week."

And now he was running over an hour late and cursing it because he knew how hyperactive the pinkette's mind was and how easy it would be for it to jump to the conclusion that he was hurt or something else of the sort. He found her just as he crossed a large almost meadow-like clearing, not too far outside the village gates but still something a walk to get back to them. She stopped all of a millisecond after he did, her green kimono rippling slightly at her sudden stop but she kept her footing easily even on the black high heels she was wearing.

She was quick to bob her head, keeping her body straight as she bowed respectfully to him, straightening almost before she was finished making the motion. And then she was hurrying forward until she was a few feet before him. He could see her relief in the set of her shoulders and the way her smile was one of ease and not strictly polite and detached. The young woman was simply not made for detached, even though most diplomats could muster it, she seemed unable to do so. She could do polite and professional well enough though, and that was what she had made due with.

"Gaa – Kazekage, I'm so glad you are alright." She didn't stumble over her wording as much as she had the first time around but she still had to catch herself when it came to addressing him. It was one of the many small things that she really did need to correct and stay correct on. It was also one of the few that he could do nothing about because it was all her. Unless he wanted to take extensive measures and he didn't think that was quite necessary.

Her green eyes turned assessing as she glanced over him, clearly making sure he wasn't wounded in any way. He knew from experience that if he was, she would obstinately demand he let her tend to it until one of them gave way and even though he was infamous for his ability to stand firm once he'd chosen something, she nearly always got her way. Another thing that needed to be fixed, but since she wasn't one of his ninja rather than Konoha's he hadn't seen fit to do anything about it either. Especially since he knew that she did it because she viewed him as friend and wanted to see him without any injury at all. Though he supposed a portion of it did have something to do with her compassionate nature.

"I am uninjured."

She made a noncommittal noise in the back of her throat and after a moment returned her eyes to his, a brilliant smile that was a slight sheepish though in no way apologetic lit her face, "Never hurts to make sure."

He thought about simply nodding, letting the whole subject drop right there. Normally he would. But he decided now was a good a time as any to address all the nitpicky problems with her behavior as his escort. So instead of starting for the Konoha gates, he took to strides forward, eating up the space between the two of them just like that. "I was held up by my council. They feel you are not a proper escort."

Sakura recoiled slightly, as if she'd been struck. The close proximity between them clearly not a factor at all and she didn't even step back. As quickly as she had reacted, her face melded back into its normal countenance – a simple smile. Though she underlined it with curiosity. "Oh, may I ask why that is?" Her tone held a slight edge that her posture didn't, and he was reminded of the fact that she didn't like to be looked down on for any reason by anyone. It was something he admired about her, but it was also something he knew would get her in trouble sooner or later; provided it hadn't already.

And he certainly didn't like to be on the receiving end of it. Though he couldn't say he didn't like ruffling her feathers, it was more than a little amusing to see her all puffed up and prickly, especially when he knew that it was indignation not her really fury and therefore, no harm would be done.

He kept his eyes directly on hers, so she would know that he agreed with they had said, so she would know he was serious. "You're not exactly what's expected of an escort. Especially since you're mine to each of these events."

She tilted her head, "So basically, since I'm from Konoha, not an official ambassador and am an escort for you, the Kazekage, no matter how good I'm doing, I have to do more than is expected."

Sea foam eyes didn't so much as blink, "And you are not even at the expectation line."

Her lips fell into a scowl, looking like she really wanted to cross her arms and huff. Instead she opted for letting her green eyes wonder for a few moments before coming back to his, more resolved than they had been when he brought it up, "Well, I've never known you to start a topic without a reason. So I'm assuming you're going to do something about my 'not up to snuff' manners?"

If he didn't know better, he'd say she was sulking. But he ignored it in favor of responding, nodding curtly as he did so, "Correct. If you wish to keep being my escort of course."

This time, her eyes narrow, "I was under the impression that I'm continuing to be you're escort because _you_ want me to."

It was his turn to frown. Certainly, he had requested specifically that she be his escort, but it was because Uzumaki had told him that she would be perfect for it, better than any of his advisors or anything. Gaara knew she was adept in her field and that she was a very quick learner, not to mention she was widely known as the Godiame Hokage's student so he had figured that it would be worth a try. The first time she had clearly been awkward, but by the end of the night she had grown comfortable in her skin. The second time she had been surprised, but agreeable all the same and by the third time she had exasperatedly asked if they were going to make it a pattern.

She'd never objected, never complained, and she had seemed comfortable enough that he would request her services again. After all, she was more than just politely pleasant. Sakura was easy to get along with, amusing and could hold a decent conversation. She was very opinionated, most of the time with interesting and refreshing stand points, but she didn't feel the need to argue or fight over it though she did stand by her beliefs. She was open minded and curious, willing to stick her nose into it if she was allowed.

"And I was under the impression that you more that willing."

This time, she did huff. "True, but I didn't sign up for this. Besides, what's wrong with my behavior?"

"Arguing with the Kazekage in public?" He suggested idly.

"Bold. But not unheard of, and I'm not being disrespectful."

"You continually have to remember to catch how you address me."

She pressed red lips, green eyes still full of life and determination, "It's automatic. I'm working on it."

"Fix it. You tend towards foreign policy rather than diplomatic behavior."

"You've mentioned that." She told him dryly, "But again, it's a knee jerk reaction, I'm an ambassador not an advisor."

No matter which way he looked at it, she knew where she was messing up and she was honestly working on fixing her mistakes. If he wanted it the way it should be, he was going to have to compromise. He was going to have to teach her, rather than let her figure out what she was doing wrong and fix it by her own means. After all, his approach clearly wasn't working, so a new one was in order.

Especially since he really didn't want a new escort. Sakura was good enough for him and more than just tolerable, he liked having her around because she made the day or night go by faster and made it less suffocating to be in for any amount of time.

Decision made he focused intently on her, ignoring the way her perceptive eyes caught the change immediately and became wary. "They will be fixed now."

Her face twisted with her shock, "But–"

He already knew what her protests would be though, "We are already late, a little longer will not hurt. In fact, I've already sent a bird ahead; Tsunade knows I will be late."

"How–"

"I will assist you in fixing all the small problems that you have."

She stared at him for a long moment, clearly baffled. But she'd been in his presence enough that she'd already told him that he was quite blunt. Which was true, there was no reason to beat around the bush so why do it?

Finally, he watched as she glanced behind her in the direction of the gates before nodding, looking more like she'd agreed to fight on a battlefield than learn a few lessons in behavior. "Well, considering I don't think I have any real chance of getting out of this, then let's get started. What's first?"

Gaara didn't even blink, not the slightest perturbed with her. He was used to her acting this way when she realized she was trapped into a situation she wasn't too fond of being in but didn't mind going through it all the same. He knew her transparency was something that he should probably cover while they were doing this, but when the opportunity arose, he found he didn't want to. That was one transgression that he realized he didn't want to correct, so he let it be, knowing that no real harm would be done in such a choice. Besides, he liked being able to tell what got under her skin and what made her blush.


End file.
